


Dynasty

by Virus138



Series: Hyndestane Kings Never Die [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Abuse of the tagging system, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Assassins & Hitmen, Bandits & Outlaws, Bath Sex, Blow Jobs, Dominance, Dragons, Dubcon Kissing, Dubious Consent, Edging, Fantasy, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced kisses, Gentle Sex, Hand Jobs, Harems, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Kissing, Light Bondage, Love/Hate, M/M, Mates, Mating Bond, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mpreg, Nightmares, Omega Verse, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Pirates, Porn With Plot, Protectiveness, Rough Sex, Secret Relationship, Sensation Play, Sex, Slow Build, Smut, War, Wedding Night, Weddings, Wrestling, cute cute cute, not really this isnt game of thrones, wrist pinned to walls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-01 20:31:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 139,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10199387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Virus138/pseuds/Virus138
Summary: The King has died and young Alpha prince Johan is supposed to take the throne - with his new fiance from a faraway land who is fragile and broken and known as the 'Mad King'.Meanwhile his reckless Omega brother is kidnapped by the leader of the bandits, who claims he is his mate and, to protect his other Omega brother, Johan sends him off to the Emperor of the faraway nation as his bride. But the Emperor is distant and prefers his harem over his husband.With their only sister sent away to marry as well, the only person to help Johan with the upcoming war with Moriya is the second oldest brother who...is getting married to the Moriyan crown prince.And, amongst all this, someone is dispatching assassins to end the lives of the siblings of the Hyndestane bloodline.---Basically if you love you some slow burn romance and some smut and lots of steamy sex and wrists getting pinned to walls and arranged marriages and just in general hate turning to love this is for you my g.





	1. PART I: The New King

Johan’s fingers brushed over the letters drawn on the paper in long-dried-out ink, almost lovingly, surprising himself. It was the last letter he’d ever received from his fiancé, over five years ago. Prince Serafin had only been fourteen then and Johan, a mature man of twenty, had laughed at the innocence and boisterousness of it then. He chuckled quietly to himself now. The letters had stopped coming after this one, and Johan didn’t know why, so he learned to cherish this final one. Even if he didn’t know what Serafin looked like, other than from the portrait of him that came five years ago, even if Salar had been as silent as if it was dead. Johan had begged the Master of the Portraits to dig out the one of his future husband many times, but it went missing the same year it arrived. It was probably holed up somewhere, dusty and forgotten, and it would for all of eternity. All Johan had to remember was the bright red hair and the deep, black eyes. Even that was slowly fading but now it didn’t matter because soon Serafin would be here and the portrait wouldn’t be needed.

‘’What’s the king doing here, brooding like that?’’ Aris appeared out of nowhere, his dark silver hair that marked him as an Omega glinting in the afternoon sun.

Johan pocketed the letter carefully and gave his youngest brother a weary look; he didn’t feel like joking around. Not today, ‘’future king,’’ he reminded him and Aris rolled his eyes. He was ‘scruffy’ in nobility standards, but not nowhere near as scruffy as he liked to think. It was all he could do to mask his nature – Omegas were supposed to be docile and obedient but Aris was anything but. He went out of his way to be boisterous, loud and assertive so that despite the rarity of his ‘breed’, no noble wanted to claim him. Even so, one growl from his Alpha brother could silence Aris.

‘’Yes, yes,’’ Aris said breezily, pulling himself up into the window seat where Johan was curled up in his little bubble of Serafin. His feet dangled off the edge, ‘’what is it now, a few hours? How do you feel?’’ for once Aris was asking a question that wasn’t sarcastic. Johan knew that deep down he was as nervous as he was about the coronation; they all were.

‘’I’m fine. Distracted, I suppose,’’ Johan pulled his golden fringe out of his eyes. Now that he was to be King, he’d have to cut it. It was too thug-like for someone about to wear a crown, ‘’what about you? After…?’’

‘’King Odion was a good King,’’ Aris said matter-of-factly. Perhaps a little too loudly in his attempt to hide his pain, ‘’but he wasn’t a remarkable father. I’ll miss him as much as the whole nation of Kainan will.’’

‘’Such noble words from someone so… scruffy,’’ Kaen, only two years younger than Johan, strolled down the corridor, ‘’if you want to discuss such matters, why not do it in your bedchamber and not _in the hallway_?’’ his hair was about the same length as Johan’s but while his was tied in a thin golden ponytail, tossed over his shoulder, Kaen’s own lock, more dirty blond than golden, were neatly separated into strands that brushed his shoulders and strands that were pulled back into a short ponytail at the back of his tail. Everything about Kaen was organised, from his appearance to his carefully chosen words. Sometimes Johan wondered if Kaen should have been King, but then he realised that with his cool demeanour he could never win the love of the people as Johan did.

‘’Oh, leave it be for today. Johan is nervous,’’ Aris said, not because he was concerned about his brother but because he didn’t feel like getting scolded.

Now Kaen’s cool blue eyes were on him, ‘’is it true?’’

‘’No. I’m fine,’’ Johan said, taking out the letter from Serafin from his pocket. Even as a fourteen year old, the prince of Salar had immaculate handwriting, ‘’I was just…’’

Understanding flashed in Kaen’s eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. Not defensively; it was just his habit, ‘’when is he due?’’

‘’His ship is to dock tomorrow in the afternoon.’’

Aris stretched and groaned, ‘’another man is exactly what we need around here. Gods, can’t we have some _ladies_?’’

‘’There’s plenty of ladies at court,’’ Johan gave him a pointed look, which Aris shot down with a raised eyebrow.

‘’I said ladies, not _preying vultures_. They’d just love to have a little Omega to do their bidding.’’ The last part he said sulkily. When Aris sulked his lips got all pouty and he always looked down which made him look almost adorable. It took some of the sharpness away from his face.

‘’Speaking of Omegas,’’ Kaen uncrossed his arms, thought better of it and crossed them again, ‘’how come you’re marrying a Beta? There’s a few Omega nobles scattered here and there.’’

Johan shrugged, ‘’Serafin and I have been engaged since I was twelve and he was six. I don’t mind that he’s a Beta.’’

‘’Yes, but will the nation mind.’’ Before Kaen could delve deeper into the politics, a cheery voice sounded down the corridor.

‘’Good afternoon, brothers! Look what I brought!’’ their second youngest brother, Mihai, was patting down the corridor. He was also an Omega but it was as if he’d absorbed everything an Omega should be and didn’t leave anything for Aris. Despite being twenty he had the full face of a child, with a delicious softness to his body. His hair was much lighter silver than Aris’ and tied in a long-ish ponytail. As far as silver Omega hair went, Mihai probably had the brightest kind. It was almost as if the gods had captured starlight and woven it into strands, while Aris was stuck with short hair the colour of dirty snow. His face was all angles and edges and his eyes were set on a default glare. Now that Johan was to be King, he wondered what he’d do with his siblings. Kaen could be put on the council, Mihai easily married to someone but Aris would be an handful, and Elentina…

‘’Brothers.’’

Just as the thought of his sister popped into Johan’s head, she appeared, all dark hair and flashing grin. She was the only one out of the siblings to have dark hair. She was also the only girl, born smack in the middle. If Mihai was an angel then Elentina and Aris were a pair of devils. She now pulled herself up in between Aris and Johan and grinned at the latter, ‘’how are you feeling, Johan? Do you think you’re going to vomit in the middle of the pew? Or are you going to trip?’’

Kaen kissed his teeth, ‘’leave him alone, Elen.’’ He said at the same time as Mihai went ‘ _’Elentina_!’’

‘’What?’’ the princess said defensively, ‘’I was just trying to brighten the mood. You’re all so…depressed.’’

‘’As they should be.’’ All heads turned automatically towards Queen Magnon, now widow and soon to be Queen Mother. Her black mourning robe did not suit her but it was unlikely she would ever wear colour again. King Odion might have been a half-decent father at the best of times but he had been a marvellous husband – as everyone could see from the healthy mix of Alphas, Betas and Omegas the couple had produced. She now stared her children down sternly, so even Kaen glanced down at his feet, ‘’Johan, a King does not sit on a window. And Elentina, a princess does not bother the future King futilely. There is much you all must learn in a very short time, if we are to safely and smoothly settle Johan onto the throne,’’ she said, hands folded against her abdomen. She was a strong woman – physically and mentally. Even so her square shoulders and tall height didn’t take from her loveliness. In the past week after their father’s death, a few more wrinkles were added to her face.

‘’Prince Serafin will be here tomorrow afternoon and I expect all of you to be welcoming. The wedding will happen a week from now and his coronation a week after that. Then, when all is settled, we will think what to do with the rest of you and how to move on from this tragedy,’’ she sighed, ‘’for now, with the mercy of the gods, there will be no trouble.’’

*~*~*

There was trouble. Not an hour has passed since the Queen scolded her children and they all dispersed when the palace  Hermes – a young woman named Ryane – came running straight to the Queen about a rebellion sparked in Queensport, a sea town half hour ride North-West from Queensbane, the capital. Queen Magnon had spent a total of four seconds fussing over their lack of luck before she mobilised the forces, ‘’Johan, you will stay here,’’ she said before Johan could open his mouth, ‘’I will not have the future King risk his life before he even ascends the throne. You will have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself, seeing as things are going. No, you will be here for your coronation and we will keep this as quiet as possible as to not start any more rebellions,’’ she pointed to her youngest child, ‘’Aris will go. I expect you back before the coronation. Your men are waiting outside. Elentina, you will go with him. No, wait. I need you here. Kaen you, too. In case…’’ she didn’t need to finish. If anything happened to Johan, Kaen was next in line. And there wasn’t even talk of Mihai going – he was an Omega through and through and would probably get heart palpitations if sent to a fight.

But Aris was in his element. He grinned, nodded his head and was off to get dressed in his armour. When it came to combat he was as good as Johan, but Kaen bested both of them in swordplay. Elentina would have been bitter that Mihai was better than her at sewing except she hated needlepoint and was better than all her brothers at archery. She now looked put out for not getting a chance to use her bow, instead forced to entertain throngs of ladies and gentlemen arriving to the coronation. Aris was geared up in five minutes and in ten he was pounding out through the palace gate, his men flanking him. Despite being young, reckless and an Omega, he was a good leader. Not as good as Johan but the men listened to him and enjoyed his company more than Kaen’s.

The sun was already beginning to sink in the sky but Aris wasn’t worried. Worst case scenario he’d miss the coronation but Johan wouldn’t hold it against him. He wasn’t one for ceremonies anyway and there was always the fear that some noble would spy him and decide he wanted him. Those were hard to get rid of, especially when you were an Omega. Mihai liked to fantasise about marrying his Mate, but Aris was more practical. Finding your Mate was as likely as discovering another continent, and marrying for anything but politics for Omega princes was impossible.

Aris wasn’t especially worried about the uprising. Queensport was a small port compared to others – Naha was the largest and close enough to Queensport that the latter wasn’t much used except by fishermen or when Naha was too busy. In the south there was Blackhaven port but then again there was nothing out in the South, except for the sea, so it wasn’t very busy either. That part of Kainan marked the end of the world. Either way, the most used one was Port Alabamy on the Island of Capadonia, whose horizon Aris would be able to see as soon as the sea came into view.

They thudded on for half an hour in silence, with Aris contemplating the reasons for the rebellion. Were the peasants not pleased with something? They hadn’t raised taxes since the beginning of his father’s rule and it wasn’t like Kainan was impoverished. But he’d have his answer soon enough. Sooner, Aris realised, than he expected. As they rode into Queensport the first thing that struck him were the burning houses. They had just been set aflame for the smoke wasn’t yet chocking the sky but…why would the peasant mutiny and then set fire to their own houses? Something was wrong. Aris held up a glove, his armour clinking, and his men stopped behind him. If he listened hard enough he could hear screams even on the edges of the town where they were.

‘’Fan out and figure out what’s going on. If civilians are hurt, help them. Bring the culprits in for interrogation,’’ he said to the men closest to him, knowing the order would be passed on quickly enough. Kay, the captain of the guard, glanced at him, understanding what Aris knew already. The young prince said it anyway, ‘’watch your back. This isn’t a mutiny. This is an attack.’’ He pounded towards the burning houses as his men spread out, quickly overrunning the few cobblestone streets Queensport had. Aris, using his common sense for once, rode towards the town centre. Whoever the leader of this attack was, it was likely they’d rally forces from the largest open space around. Or they were attacking from the sea, which was Aris’ second option.

Thankfully he didn’t have to look that far. Followed by a dozen men, Aris stopped a few steps away from the man, who was in the middle of dispatching a small unit of men, carrying flaming torches and razor-sharp grins. They wore a mismatch of clothing – not dirty or colourful enough to be pirates. Their tunics and leathers were fine – stolen, most likely – and their weapons crude. Aris quickly noticed the three-rock necklaces around the neck of each attacker.

‘’Bandits.’’ He breathed. They rarely caused trouble, not like the pirates who ransacked an odd village once in a while. Mostly they stayed holed up in the Moher Mountains, which were many days ride to the east, past the Sorata river. What were they doing so far from home? Aris was about to find out. He drew his sword and the metallic _shing_ of it captured the attention of the leader of bandits. He turned.

Aris sucked in a breath a second before the sensation hit him. It was almost as if someone punched him in the gut. He nearly doubled over from pain, fighting to stay upright on his horse and he blurrily saw the bandit staggering, leaning against the column erected in the centre of the town square, his eyes glazed over. Then Aris’ vision cleared and he felt a strange warmth spreading through him, like an embrace. His breathing was ragged. He couldn’t take his eyes off that man and vice versa. He could feel the bandit breathing, his heart beating, his blood rushing through his veins, just for a second, before everything quietened down.

And then the man was running.

Straight at him.

Aris didn’t scream when he was yanked down from his horse but fought the bandit, even when his touch sent pulses of warmth through his skin. He was still unstable on his feet, not knowing what the hell had just snapped into place. The man was slightly taller than him, and more muscular. But Aris was not a weak Omega – he was _not_ – and he pushed the man off. Except he was still unsteady and he stumbled. The man managed to catch him again and then he was staring into his eyes, saying a single word, ‘’mate.’’

‘’Oh, hell no,’’ Aris spat even though he knew it was true. And the knowledge sent a rush of fear through him like he never experienced. He pushed hard against him. There was the thunder of horses and some shouts as Aris’ men locked in battle with the bandits. And yet the leader didn’t move, holding onto Aris for dear life. To Aris’ advantage he seemed as unbalanced as Aris felt. He gave one last shove, managing to get out of the bandit’s grip and he ran, blindly. Away from his men, like a coward, although they didn’t notice and he didn’t get far. In the next instance he was surrounded by horses – foreign horses, with grinning bandits mounted on top. And then the bandit leader – his _mate_ – was in front of him again.  There was a flash of blue between his lips as he leaned forward. And then Aris felt his lips on his, just the faintest brush but his knees grew weak and he nearly toppled over. Then the blue thing – a tablet – was being pushed past his lips by a dart of tongue and it was dissolving and then Aris really was toppling over, slipping, falling…

And falling…

And falling…

*~*~*

Johan – King Johan now – paced his new throne room. He had sat on his throne only briefly when Ryane, the Hermes, came running in, hastily bowing to announce that his brother was gone. The first day of his rule and he already failed to protect one of the most important people to him. Bandits, the soldiers had said, but they were gone now. They had nearly burned Queensport to the ground. The Moher Mountains were vast – they ran as the second defence after the Sorata against threat from the southern seas. Searching them would take…would take… for once Johan wasn’t thinking about Serafin. All he could concentrate on was getting Aris back. And getting Mihai out.

‘’I can’t go!’’ Mihai pleaded, his eyes wet and puffy for crying over Aris. Taken. By bandits. For all they knew he could be dead. Johan could only hope for a ransom, ‘’your wedding…your wedding is next week and Aris…Aris is gone and I have to…’’ he looked like he was going to cry again. Johan wasn’t much of a hugger – none of them were – but with Mihai it had always been an exception. Now Johan gathered him into his arms. The throne room was empty save for the siblings. Johan was to meet with his strategists and the Captain of the Guard in ten minutes to discuss the best course of action, but for now he concentrated on Mihai in his arms, shaking softly, his hair tickling his nose and tried not to cry himself. This was not a good start to his reign.

Elentina sat perched on the window seat of the huge glass-stained windows, her eyes glazing over every once in a while like her mind kept wandering back to Aris. Kaen was the only one who remained dry-eyed, standing primly against the doors, acting like a guard. The only person allowed inside was the Queen Mother, who swopped in like a golden-haired crow goddess. She, too, remained dry-eyed, her mouth set in a determined line, ‘’we will find him,’’ she said to her children, but she stared straight at Johan, ‘’as for your decision regarding Mihai…I second it.’’

Mihai pushed away from Johan, his eyes pleading, ‘’mother! I thought the marriage negotiations were not sealed!’’ he wailed.

‘’It was the last thing your father managed to do,’’ she said tightly, ‘’we were going to wait with it but-‘’

‘’But now one of my brothers is gone and I am not losing another,’’ Johan said, his voice grave and steady, ‘’as you can see my ascension will not be as smooth as we have all hoped and it will be smarted to get you out of here, while we can. Mihai, Elen and Kaen can fight. You…you know what they do to Omegas,’’ finally his voice cracked as he could only imagined what would happen to Aris before his body was dumped in the sea, ‘’please. Don’t make this harder. Asakura will be safe.’’

‘’But it is not _home_!’’ fresh tears spilled over Mihai’s cheeks.

‘’It’s close,’’ Johan’s voice turned gentler. Already the golden crown on his head felt uncomfortable and heavy, ‘’you will come when…when…you will,’’ he promised weakly, ‘’when everything settles, yes? And we’ll find Aris. I promise you, I will not stop searching till I find him. But first I need to know you’re safe.’’ He took his hand, ‘’okay, Mihi?’’ he used their childhood nickname for him to finally sway him over the edge.

‘’Okay, brother,’’ Mihai sniffed, ‘’but I’m coming back. As soon as things settle.’’

‘’As soon as things settle,’’ Johan promised.

‘’Come,’’ Queen Magnon ushered her son out, ‘’we have much packing to do if you are to leave in the morning. Don’t cry, child, I’m sure Emperor Shayan is kind. And maybe you’ll even have a mating bond!’’

Mihai really hoped so.


	2. The Nameless God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for everybody who commented/kudoed/bookmarked and even viewed this story! It means so much! Please tell me what you think about it!

Johan had never been so nervous in his life. He fought hard not to wring out his hands as he looked out to the sea. It was a nice day, even for Kainan that had very mild weather. Serafin was coming from Salar, which Johan guessed was much warmer but not scorching hot like Moriya, even further west. Johan wondered if Serafin would like his new home as he stared at the small armada of ships docking below. Behind him stood Naha, the seaport town known as the ‘Town of Dolls’. If most towns were sleepy then Naha was dead, but after all the ‘excitement’ in Queensport Johan was glad for it. The town got its name from countless stores filled with dolls. Closer to the mountains, in cities like Darien, there were miners; by the sea cities of Belladonna and Rethymon people were fishers; in Naha there were only dollmakers. The town was silent mostly because it was late afternoon and all the Nahian dwellers – mostly elderly, senile citizens – were taking a nap. As the new King rode through the town with his entourage he picked out a few of the old in the windows of the cottages, making dolls and watching him studiously. There was no rush to meet him, like there would be in bigger cities.

Naha may have been small itself but its port, a mere kilometre away, was bustling with life. It was hard to believe the port and the town were both part of Naha. Johan spent most of his journey from Queensbane in his carriage, too nervous to sleep. He was worried about Aris – worried sick – but the calming thoughts of Serafin were welcoming. Just that morning he had parted with his second youngest, and perhaps favourite, brother. Mihai was safely sent off to Blackhaven port, which was the farthest, and the least practical, but the most secretive. No one knew he was gone yet and that was good. With the blessing of the gods he would arrive in Asakura within a week. Johan already missed his bright presence painfully but he consoled himself by remembering that Asakura was the closest kingdom to Kainan. Despite the Island Hyuuga being Kainan territory, it was probably closer to Asakura. Mihai wasn’t that far away.

The sudden hustle and sound of the port made Johan sit up on the scarlet leather seat. He felt more comfortable on horseback but the carriage meant he would have a few moments alone with his soon to be husband on the way back. Curious, Johan pulled back the curtain a little. The spring was blooming in the country but the workers at the docks were drenched with sweat, their shirts off. They had now stopped, ropes slowly sliding down their muscled shoulders and planks of wood hanging from fingertips. The arrival of the King’s impressive entourage was probably the most exciting thing that happened in Naha in the last hundred years.

The carriage came to a stop and Johan got out, immediately flanked by his guards. He stared out into the sea where the Salarian flotilla was steadily approaching. There were four ships in all – and somewhere in them was their crown prince. Doubtlessly they carried gold, silk and treasures for his dowry but to Johan Serafin was the biggest treasure. He could have peddled over here in a fisherman’s boat for all Johan cared. More nervous than ever, he glanced behind him for support. The guards remained stone-faced but behind him the most important members of the court were steadily getting out onto the busy beach to welcome the future King Consort.

While Johan got a carriage for himself and Serafin, Elentina hopped out of one she shared with Kaen and their mother. All three had grave faces on and Elentina was glaring. They were all on edge, not knowing what happened to Aris and now lacking the calming presence of Mihai. It hurt Johan’s heart that Mihai wouldn’t be there for his wedding. Rehan dismounted his horse, jumping gracefully to the ground. He was a small man, with softly sloping shoulders and roots in Moriya, which explained his lightly brown skin. His hair was silver, marking him as an Omega, and pulled across his scalp in thick braids, intertwined with rubies. A single golden earring hung to his shoulder from one earlobe – he had always been an extravagant man, ever since he arrived in Kainan aged four as a playmate to King Odion, through his service as councillor and ambassador till now, even when wrinkles peppered his face. Jhoka had been riding behind him. She, too, had dark skin but much darker than anyone from Moriya. The story went that she washed ashore Kainan when she was a child and became friends with King Magnon, and eventually her lady in waiting. She, too, was an Omega and her silver hair was pulled in a complicated pattern of twists and braids. Queen Magnon gave her a home and she became an untouchable – a celibate Omega off-limits to everyone and anyone.

Having them behind him reassured Johan that all was good. He turned back to the sea where the ships were now docking, his heart beating expectantly. He forced himself to stand straight and not fidget with his fingers. Resisting the urge to fix his bright red cape, to make himself look more appealing, he stared straight on.

The first to appear was the part of court that Serafin decided to bring – only six people, who all immediately went on one knee to bow to Johan. He didn’t bother nodding, his eyes scanning the plank that had been let down to deliver his fiancé for him. Next came the soldiers, then servants after servants bearing gifts in golden chests. They’d need a dozen carriages just for the dowry alone. They all took their time bowing to Johan and the King almost wished Serafin had come on a boat…at least he would be alone and Johan wouldn’t be going mad with the desire to see him. And then, finally, a hush fell over the gathered. Johan hadn’t picked up on the soft murmurs of the Salarian court until it ended, symbolising the arrival of their prince.

It was as if he was the boy in the painting and at the same time…wasn’t. His hair remained bright as flame and red as blood, his eyes dark as the night sky, but he had grown into a man. He was tall and thin, his dark blue cape contrasting with his pale skin. He approached step by step, his court filing in behind him and Johan found he couldn’t move, captivated by those dark eyes. Closer up he noticed particular things about his features that the painting hadn’t shown – a pert, slim nose and sharp cheekbones were well defined, giving his face elegance. He had arched eyebrows that made him look permanently slightly surprised but his lips were pulled in a little smile. Like he was happy to see him…

‘’Serafin…’’ Johan breathed and Serafin’s smile widened a tiny bit, his eyes travelling down as if he was embarrassed and giddy. And then Johan took his hand and went down on one knee, pressing a kiss to it. It wasn’t what Kings did often but Johan wanted to do it because, even if he’d only known Serafin from a few letters and a painting, he wanted his fiancé to know that he belonged to him now. Even if he was an Alpha and Serafin was a Beta. Even if he was King and Serafin was only a prince. Even if this was Johan’s kingdom and Serafin was far away from home. And Serafin flushed head to toe, realising this, his thumb brushing Johan’s cheek before he was rising.

Everything was chaos after that. The servants from both sides rushed to pack the dowry, allocate the newcomers to carriages and horses… Queen Magnon came forward and Serafin gave a neat bow as she nodded her head deeply. She now wore a black veil permanently over her face, kept in place by her silver diadem, ‘’Prince Serafin,’’ she extended her hand and Serafin kissed it daintily, ‘’I am very happy you have landed safely. I sincerely hope you find Kainan to your liking.’’

Serafin straightened and gave a little smile, ‘’thank you, your majesty. I certainly will.’’ It was the first time Johan heard him speak and he smiled at the sound of his voice. He spoke perfect Kai with only a slight Salarian accent that gave his voice a sweet note. Johan made a mental note to coax Serafin to talk in his native tongue at some point. His siblings were quickly introduced – Kaen, who bowed primly and Elentina, who grinned as Serafin kissed her hand also. When the introduction were done, Serafin glanced at Johan although he addressed his siblings also, ‘’I am profoundly sorry about what happened to your brother. My men will try their best to help with the searches. And I’m sorry I missed your other brother, too. I wish I could have met all members of my…’’ he hesitated and glanced away, ‘’new family.’’

Elentina stepped forward and took his hands with a smile, although there was pain behind it. Losing Aris was like losing a part of her, ‘’thank you.’’ She said earnestly, something she rarely did.

It started raining; the first of the many spring rains. Now Johan was almost glad he had a roof over his head as he helped Serafin into the carriage before the rain got going for good. The gods seemed to only hold the rain at bay till Johan had safely closed the doors and drawn the curtains of the carriage before it slammed full force on the roof. Johan doubted it would slow the workers at the docks though. As they began their steady journey back to the capital Johan felt no desire to look out at the many dolls in the windows and gardens of the cottages in Naha. Instead, he concentrated on Serafin, who sat in front of him, hands folded primly in his lap.

Johan was gathering the courage to speak when Serafin broke the silence, ‘’is it true that Queensbane is called the City of Lights?’’ he asked softly. It seemed he never raised his voice, keeping it at a pleasant, melodic volume.

‘’Ah, yes.’’

‘’Why so?’’

‘’Ah, well,’’ Johan felt strangely embarrassed finally talking to Johan. He seemed so mature despite being only nineteen, ‘’we have a lot of festivals and things like that.’’ Serafin tilted his head to the side, prompting him to continue, ‘’At the start of the Summer there’s the Hafwen Ball, where the bonfires are lit so they burn high as the sky for days and days on end. In winter it’s the festival of the goddess Soyala which lasts a whole month, and all of Queensbane is decorated with fae-lights. In the autumn, celebrating the goddess Jora, we have fires again but we burn the leaves that have fallen and pray for a mild winter and in the spring there’s the First Blossom festival for the goddess of spring, Caroun, on the last day of winter. You missed it, I’m afraid, but we have fireworks made from black powder which we import from Asakura and- ah, sorry, I talk a lot when I’m nervous.’’

Serafin gave a little smile again, ‘’why are you nervous?’’

‘’I…I don’t know,’’ Johan laughed and Serafin laughed with him. At the sound some of the tension left Johan’s shoulders.

Serafin looked at the curtain dreamily, as if he could see the Town of Dolls behind it, ‘’I’d like to see these fireworks someday.’’

Johan smiled, ‘’you will.’’

‘’Tell me more about Kainan,’’ Serafin asked, ‘’I’d like to know about the country I’m in.’’ He said ‘Kainan’ in his native tongue, changing the pronunciation of it. Johan preferred it.

‘’Well, other than Queensbane there’s Queensport, which is the closest city to the capital. It, uh…burned down yesterday.’’

Serafin blinked, surprised, ‘’really? Was there a fire?’’

‘’Bandits,’’ Johan felt his throat close, ‘’that’s how my brother…’’

Serafin bit his lip and Johan looked away. And then Serafin spoke, pulling Johan away from the thoughts of his brother, who probably wouldn’t make it to his wedding and… ‘’in Salar we have only one mountain. Did you know that?’’

Johan glanced at him and smiled, ‘’Yes. Glowhill peak, right?’’

‘’That’s right,’’ Serafin nodded, his red hair falling into his eyes, ‘’It was named by an ancient queen who hailed from Kainan and came to marry a Salarian king. It’s actually a volcano that has not yet gone to sleep. It’s only napping – if you go close to the foot of the mountain you can feel it vibrate with life. I used to be scared that it would explode and kill us all when I was small but now I know that it’s a good volcano. If mountains have souls then Glowhill peak has a good one.’’

‘’That’s an interesting way to put it,’’ Johan was surprised by the metaphors Serafin used but found them much more pleasant to listen to than the dull chatter of the court. But then he supposed Serafin could let out a string of curses and Johan would find it pleasant.

*~*~*

A week later there was no hide or hair of Aris. Rehan, the Kai ambassador, led the interrogation of the soldiers in Aris’ party and now the soldiers were beginning to scourge the Moher Mountains for any signs of the bandits. Rehan had dispatched riders to Darien, Massacoury and Belladonna, the cities on the other side of the Sorata River which were often raided by bandits. If any person on earth knew where they were, they lived in one of those three cities.

Despite his rapidly growing fondness for Serafin, Johan was not happy to proceed with their wedding. It was bad enough that one brother wouldn’t be there, but two? Johan tried to keep his mind off Aris by throwing himself full-force into the wedding preparations and spending any free moments helping Serafin get accustomed to the palace. He took him for walks in the gardens and taught him the names of Kai flowers, showed him the palace… he even took him for a ride into the capital. Queensbane wasn’t called the City of Lights for no reason – even with no festivities there were fae-lights, fashioned from candles and coloured ornaments, hanging in the trees and in the streets, casting a warm glow on the ever-busy streets. But when the nights began, which Johan wasn’t allow to spend with Serafin before their wedding, the King nervously awaited the riders, praying for good news.

But Aris had disappeared into thin air.

And then the day of the wedding came and Johan couldn’t even bring himself to be excited. The rest of the kingdom certainly was – since morning the peasants had been pressed up against the gates of the royal palace, hoping for a glimpse of the royal couple that would bring good luck to them – make their crops grow faster, make their wives have many Alpha children, make them find their mates…stupid superstitions but the City of Lights enjoyed the break in routine. No one paid the citizens any attention, except the poor guards who had to listen to excited squealing all day long.

Johan couldn’t sleep much, his mind occupied with his missing brother, so when the servants came to rouse him early in the morning he had to trouble getting up. Jhoka, his mother’s lady in waiting, was in charge of getting him prepared for the wedding. As was the custom, Johan could not see his bride before the ceremony. Jhoka was a very superstitious woman – it was she who set the date for the wedding in the spring, as it brought good luck – and she took great care to keep Johan away from Serafin. Apparently a completely different entourage of servants were getting him ready but he had to move around the castle so, as to not bump into him, Johan was largely kept to his quarters.

He ate breakfast in his rooms – his trays were piling high with light foods; black raspberries with a gentle sprinkling of sugar; water-boiled broccoli; juicy figs and quarters of watermelon; fluffy pancakes made with rare leftover cocoa which was used in the wedding cake; egg omelettes; and a light ginseng and saffron soup. There was no sign of his usual breakfast, which consisted of meats, cheese and milk. Johan glanced at Jhoka and raised an eyebrow. ‘’These foods are said to boost libido,’’ she said matter-of-factly, putting a finger in the air, ‘’you’ll need it for the wedding night.’’

Johan sighed and dug in. He knew there was no point in arguing with Jhoka. She was not only a lady in waiting – she had been responsible for Johan’s education since he turned eight and she was also his godmother. Once breakfast was finished Johan was ushered into the baths, as if he was once again a naughty ten year old who had rolled around in mud rather than the King of Kainan. He was scrubbed head to toe, his hair washed twice with sweet smelling oil. It was a wonder Jhoka didn’t order his hair cut and took care brushing it out of his face. For once it wasn’t a mess falling into his eyes, but a neatly pulled back head of gold, ending in a thin ponytail. Johan glanced at himself in the mirror when Jhoka wasn’t looking and touched the scar on the corner of his mouth self consciously. It was actually Kaen who had given it to him when they had been sparring and although it was a source of pride when he was a young, reckless boy now he worried it would scare Serafin. After all he was so soft spoken and gentle.

Jhoka didn’t give him much time to ponder on said scar, shoving him into a midnight blue tunic finished with silver stitching that had been sewn over the course of the month for his wedding. He pulled up the matching pants and fastened them around his waist with a wide belt, finally throwing a black cape over his shoulder. With his golden hair and dark blue eyes he could have been the moon’s and the sun’s lovechild. Of course, that wasn’t the end – Jhoka stared at him critically and ordered him out of the tunic. For a couple of hours Johan moped around his quarters. He had a light lunch and spent a whole hour posing in front of a man who was picking out the right chain for him to wear around his neck. Eventually Jhoka returned with his outfit, which had been altered as she saw fit. He was once more shoved into it and servants laced up his boots. Then he put on his ‘special’ crown – the one bedazzled with rubies for special occasions. And then, he realised, it was time for him to marry.

He walked almost as if in a trance, out of the main building of the palace to the temple on the outskirts of it, erected especially for the court members. It wasn’t as big and flashy as the Queensbane one, but Johan preferred to have a ‘smaller’ wedding – in which case it meant almost a five hundred nobles coming from all over Kainan, who barely squeezed into the temple. As he walked up to the altar, Johan glanced around. His family were in the front rows of the marble pews but…but there was no member of family for Serafin. Johan recalled he had a brother and parents, but of course the crown prince couldn’t be here, much less the King… his country didn’t have good relations with Salar. They barely kept into contact so it was a wonder they even allowed Serafin to be married to him.

Johan took his place at the altar and waited patiently, glancing only once at his family. His mother, clad in black, the expression on her face unreadable thanks to the black veil; Kaen, smirking lightly; he’d doubtlessly tease Johan about the wedding night; Elentina, who was grinning like mad. For a while, their worries about Aris seemed to disappear. Again, Johan didn’t realise there was noise till the pews quietened and the doors to the chapel opened, bathing the aisle in light from the slowly setting sun. Johan held his breath as Serafin took a few steps inside, the sun so bright Johan could only see his outline. Then someone closed the doors and Johan saw him.

He wore all white, from his boots to his cape to the thin silver circlet around his hair. His eyes were a little wide and twinkling, like he was taking everything in and couldn’t quite help being overwhelmed. His eyes landed on Johan and his lips parted slightly as he slowly walked over, all heads turning. Johan couldn’t help the grin that pushed itself onto his lips as he watched his fiancé make his way up to the pew and stand opposite him. Johan’s grin transformed into a soft smile as he took Serafin’s hand gently in his and held it between them as the priestess recited a passage. The vows came and went – Johan spoke with clarity and certainty, Serafin with soft embarrassment and happiness. And then they kissed to seal the marriage.

Johan made sure to only lightly brush his lips against Serafin’s as to not embarrass him further. Just enough to taste him and crave more. Then the nobility were cheering and they were finally married.

The banquet, held in the ballroom of the palace, was magnificent. Everywhere hung the royal insignia and golden decorations. The tables were close to toppling under the weight of food. Everything was echoed by a faint cheering of the people at the gates when trumpets announced Serafin and Johan as married. They appeared at the viewing balcony briefly to wave at the people and then disappeared to celebrate. When night fell the festivities in town also begun and the lights of Queensbane shone so brightly they nearly chased away the night.

Johan had barely settled at the head table next to Serafin when his mother rose from next to him and daintily clanked a spoon against her cup, ‘’ladies and gentlemen,’’ she spoke loudly and clearly, her voice commanding attention as she raised her cup, ‘’to my son and his husband.’’ The nobility cheered and toasted. Johan took Serafin’s hand and held it under the table, against his thigh. Johan barely ate although the food was exquisite. The feel of his husband’s hand against his sent a thrill up his spine.

‘’Well, I don’t know about you,’’ Elentina stood and pulled Kaen to his feet, ‘’but I wish to dance.’’

Once Elentina got the reluctant Kaen onto the dance floor, the others followed. It didn’t take Johan long to, prompted by the two goblets of wine he’d drank, stand and extend his hand to Serafin. He had been waiting till everyone was in a merry mood so all the attention wouldn’t be so heavily concentrated on them. Now he managed to pull Serafin into the throng of people without turning heads. He pulled Serafin close by the waist, glad to finally be close to him and not two feet apart when they had strolled in the garden. Now nothing that happened between them was taboo and tonight… Serafin danced with grace, quickly catching onto the Kai dance moves, letting Johan glide him across the ballroom floor. Johan allowed himself to pull Serafin closer, inhaling the sweet scent of his hair. Serafin curled his fingers into his tunic and Johan understood how nervous he must have been about this whole affair.

As more wine was passed around the music turned merrier. Johan kept the alcohol to the minimum, wanting to keep a clear head for the wedding night. That didn’t stop him from getting involved in the group dances that resembled more the festivities in town then ballroom activities. He kept searching for Serafin in the crowd to make sure he was okay when they weren’t together and he always was. Once he was dancing with Queen Magnon, the next with Jhoka, later with Elentina. His sister eventually found her way into his arms and by the flash in her eyes he could tell it wasn’t an accident, ‘’I need to speak with you,’’ she said, grave.

‘’Now?’’

‘’Now. Before you make any decisions,’’ Elentina said. Johan easily spun her around the ballroom, as he had done ever since they were children. Elentina took a deep breath, ‘’It’s about my marriage.’’

‘’It’s not decided.’’

‘’Liar. You decided to marry me to King Sava when Aris was taken,’’ she knew bringing up their missing brother on Johan’s wedding day was a dirty move, but she did it anyway, ‘’I’m begging you, as your sister and as the only princess of Kainan,’’ she spoke quietly so no one else could overhear, ‘’don’t do this to me. He is fifty years old. I love Kainan. I don’t want to leave.’’

Johan sighed because it was true. He’d already decided. He had spoken with their father about it for long before he died, when he had just fallen sick. Elentina was hard to control and now, more than ever, the royal family was in danger. Johan would keep her safe even at the expense of her happiness, ‘’but you will. Face it, Elen. We don’t have good relationship with anyone, not really. As a new king I must forge alliances, and Sahr is my go-to option. King Sava has already expressed his wishes to marry you after seeing your portrait. He wants to seek a close relationship with Kainan.’’

‘’So you’re going to sell your only sister to an _old man_ for _politics_?’’ Elentina hissed.

‘’For safety, Elentina,’’ Johan said sternly, still spinning her around, ‘’yours and everyone at this court, in this city and in your beloved Kainan.’’

‘’Not until Aris is found.’’

‘’I can’t promise that,’’

‘’Then, please…’’ Elentina’s voice broke and he brought her closer, comfortingly. She so rarely cried, ‘’at least promise me that once he dies, I can chose whomever I want to marry. You will not meddle. Please.’’

Johan studied her. It was no question that, with the blessing of the gods, Elentina would outlive King Sava. Letting her chose her second husband was a small price to pay for her obedience in such a trying time, ‘’fine. I promise.’’

Once Elentina went to get more wine, Johan decided it was time to tackle both his siblings at once. He found Kaen sitting by the head table. His eyes were clear, his second goblet of wine untouched in front of him. Johan sat down next to him. For a while they watched the whirl of dancing couples. Elentina had found Serafin again, who was laughing a little now, ‘’well,’’ Kaen picked up his goblet and swirled around the contents, but did not drink, ‘’spit it out.’’

‘’I’ve arranged a marriage for you,’’ Johan wasn’t meant to blurt it out; he would really have to work on controlling his tongue as King.

But Kaen didn’t seem surprised, ‘’to whom?’’

‘’Ilia, the second prince of Moriya. Moriya is our biggest threat right now. With Mihai in Asakura, Serafin here and Elentina in Sahr, if the gods will it, we’ll have Kainan at peace with all nations. If you forge an alliance with Moriya.’’

Kaen thought about that and finally sat back, sighting, ‘’I figured this would eventually happen. I have to marry someone, so why not someone that will benefit Kainan?’’ he glanced at Johan, ‘’what is he?’’

‘’Omega,’’ Johan said and Kaen visibly relaxed. Mihai was good at picking up on things and he had filled Johan in on many occasions about the second born – that he was lonely. And that he wanted to be with an Omega, because that made him feel important. Because Johan was an Alpha and Elentina was a Beta, too, but she was a girl and she was strong and Aris and Mihai were Omegas so no matter what they would be pampered and doted on. But male Betas were common and Kaen hated being common, ‘’His brother is to take the throne and wants to seek an alliance with Kainan. He’d assured us Prince Ilia will make a good match for you.’’

‘’When is he to arrive?’’

‘’By the end of the week.’’

Kaen watched the dancing couples for a while. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper, ‘’who would have thought this would all change so fast,’’ then, louder, as if to reassure himself, he raised his goblet, ‘’to you, dear brother.’’ He finally drank.

When everyone was tipsy and happy and laughing, Johan went to seek out Serafin. He found him, still dancing, with some noble lady. Many of the nobles had stepped down from the dance floor, too drunk to keep steady, and instead watched the others. The alcohol had loosened their tongues and, as the King strolled behind them, he heard snippets of conversation.

‘’Look at him.’’

‘’Isn’t he pretty?’’

‘’You almost can’t tell.’’

‘’Look at him.’’

‘’Look at the Mad King dance.’’

Johan’s head whipped around, but he couldn’t find the person who’d uttered those words. He wasn’t sure he heard it right, anyway. Shaking his head, he reminded himself he really shouldn’t drink, even in small amounts. He found Serafin just on time, pulling him away from the crowd and out into the night garden, ‘’where are we going?’’ Serafin asked, holding onto Johan so he wouldn’t trip.

‘’Just here,’’ Johan stopped a short way from the entrance to the ballroom, so they could still hear everyone. Doubtlessly within minutes they wouldn’t be alone anymore, but for now Johan wanted to savour the moment. He found Serafin’s hand in the dark and held it, ‘’look up.’’ He did. Half a minute later the sky exploded with colour and sound that made Serafin jump and then gasp and then laugh, ‘’that’s fireworks,’’ Johan said, looking down at him fondly.

Still grinning, Serafin turned to him, tilted his head and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the scar on the corner of his mouth. And then, attracted by the noise and light and smell of black powder the guests flooded out of the ballroom and into the garden.

*~*~*

‘’You never wrote,’’ Johan finally brought up the letters when the feast was over and their wedding night had begun. Serafin was sitting primly on the edge of Johan’s huge marital bed, which he had made months before. Johan had dismissed all servants, wanting the night to be just the two of them, without people constantly hovering behind the doors. He was lighting the candle around the room himself, purposely missing out some to keep the lights dim, ‘’after that last letter, I mean.’’

‘’Ah, yes,’’ Serafin was staring at his hands. He seemed nervous of their first time together but Johan would quickly get rid of that nervousness, ‘’I…didn’t have time.’’

It didn’t seem like a pliable excuse but Johan let it go for now. He didn’t want Serafin stressing on their wedding night. He set down the final candle on the windowsill and left the window open. Summer was coming; you could feel it in the air. He sat down by his husband and smoothed his hair from his forehead. He almost expected it to burn like flames, but it remained soft to the touch. Johan let his hand fall to the strings holding Serafin’s white tunic together. He could feel his heart beating wildly against his knuckles. He pulled on the string till it came lose, exposing Serafin’s collarbones and a small portion of his milky white chest. Johan’s hand looked tan and crude against it. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against Serafin’s temple, ‘’are you nervous?’’

‘’A little,’’ Serafin admitted, his hands balling into Johan’s tunic again.

Johan pulled him close, forehead-to-forehead and spoke softly, reassuringly, ‘’I won’t hurt you, don’t worry. I know you miss home and that this place is really strange and hard to get used to, but we’re together now. You’ve got nothing to be nervous about. I’m sorry your parents and brother couldn’t make it to the wedding but-…Serafin?’’

At the mention of his family Serafin had gone rigid in Johan’s arms and his eyes had gone blank. Slowly, almost in a trance, he tilted his head up and looked at the canopy of the bed. Johan waited but nothing happened and Serafin remained staring at the ceiling, as if Johan wasn’t even there. ‘’Serafin?’’ he repeated, looking up. There was nothing there, ‘’what…are you looking at?’’

‘’Nothing,’’ Serafin kept looking up, ‘’I’m listening.’’

‘’To…what?’’ Johan asked uncertainly.

Finally Serafin’s lowered his head and looked into Johan’s eyes, ‘’to the god.’’

Johan blinked, ‘’what god?’’

‘’The one who talks to only me.’’

There was a change in him that Johan didn’t like, ‘’what is he saying?’’

‘’She,’’ Serafin smiled but it was as if he didn’t even know who he was talking to, where he was, ‘’it’s a she and she tells me when someone’s going to die,’’ his voice rose in pitch, as if he was close to hysteria, ‘’she told me about mother and father and my brother and then me so I could hide…so they didn’t find me…but they found everyone else and there was so much blood, the colour of my hair… she looks after me, she tells me when…’’

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Johan grabbed his shoulders, ‘’your parents and brother are fine.’’

Serafin laughed a broken laugh, ‘’my parents are dead. My brother is dead. Murdered by rebels five years ago,’’ when the letters stopped coming, ‘’did no one tell you, majesty? Now my uncle rules and he sent me away because…because she talks to me…because I hear her and he can’t…’’ he laughed again and now there were tears in his eyes. If he stopped laughing he would start crying and Johan had no idea what to do, ‘’do you know what they call me, Johan?’’ it was the first time he’s said his name and it sounded so beautiful spoken in his voice, even if that voice was broken, ‘’The Mad King. Serafin, the Mad King of Salar. The disgrace of the family. The cursed child. That’s me,’’ the first sob racked his body and he leaned his forehead against Johan’s. The king had no idea what to do, ‘’you married a madman,’’ he whispers and then he is gone, weeping hysterically against Johan’s chest.

Johan does the only thing he can do – he hugs him tightly to his chest, like he did with Mihai countless of times when he was sad about something. Johan tried to calm him down but Serafin’s body was shaken by sobs and there was no end to his weeps. Finally Johan undressed him till he was in his undergarments, and Serafin cried the whole time. He struggled out of his clothes and laid Serafin in the bed. He wept silently while Johan lay next to him, unable to do anything. He couldn’t touch him, not in this state. Instead, he settled for taking his hand and holding it against his lips until finally he drifted off, exhausted by the crying. Johan brushed away his tears, which were left shining on his cheeks and fell asleep himself.

When he woke up the candle had been blown out and Serafin was awake. His black eyes were clear in the darkness. Their hands were still intertwined by Johan’s head. Serafin reached over and touched a tentative finger to Johan’s scar, ‘’I’m sorry.’’ Was all he said. He was apologising for breaking down. He shouldn’t have. He should be apologised to – by his uncle who, by the sounds of it, stole his throne. By whoever the hell killed his parents. By people who called him mad instead of trying to help him. And Johan should be apologised to, too – how the hell had he not found out about the massacre of most of the Salarian royal family all those years ago?

Serafin dropped his hand and Johan brushed his thumb over his palm, trying to comfort him, ‘’sleep now.’’

They both did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna write a hell of a lot more today - Aris's POV, Mihai's POV and the landing of Kaen's bride, but hell this took ages and I have work tomorrow so what the hell, just enjoy this angsty shit for now ;p I'll upload when I can!


	3. The King of Bandits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you guys think about it, it means the world to me!

Aris spun around as the doors to the room slid open and the leader of the bandits stepped into the patch of moonlight; he growled at him but didn’t step back – that would be a sign of weakness. It had been a week since he woke up in the Bandit fortress, somewhere deep within the Moher Mountains. On day one he had thrown himself against the doors, tried to get out of the window and swore till his throat was raw. No one came and he must have passed out; in the morning of the second day he woke up to a tray full of food and the leader of the bandits watching him. He introduced himself as Bane and asked Aris his name. The Omega prince picked up his tray and tossed it at Bane, who easily side-stepped it; the tray sprayed over the wall and Bane did not return that day. The only sign that he was not forgotten was the supper that appeared out of nowhere – Aris realised he must have passed out again. He didn’t know why that kept happening until he awoke on the third day with a clear head and realised that it took whatever pill Bane had given him a few days to wear off.

For the rest of the week Aris prowled his room, trying to find a way out. But, as much as he liked to think he was tough, he had never been trained for this. Fighting an enemy straight on? Yes. Dealing with poison, cuts, bruises and wounds? Yes. Scaling a wall, climbing a tree or starting a fire? Yes. Not getting out of an impenetrable room in the middle of the mountains. He didn’t know what to expect either – he’d never been to the Moher Mountains. Was it hot? Was it cold? He only had the clothes he had on the day of his kidnapping underneath his armour, which had been stripped. His weapons had been taken, too. Although fresh clothes were laid out for him every day, Aris stuck to his now-dirty clothes desperately – or stubbornly. Bane didn’t come again, until a week later.

Aris’ blue eyes narrowed at Bane, who didn’t move from the patch of moonlight. He didn’t speak; he just studied Aris and Aris studied him back. He was a bandit through and through, although Aris hadn’t really seen any bandits before – the food and clothes seemed to appear by themselves and it made Aris feel very…isolated. With only Bane around. His hair was about as short as Aris’ but dark brown, as were his eyes. He was tanned from years spent in the mountains, and there were numerous thin scars that looked like they came from daggers – one short one against his cheekbone, another on his cheek, three claw marks down his muscular bicep… If Aris hadn’t already felt endangered by his presence, the crudely curved sword strapped across his back, tipped with a real skull, did not help. It was not a human skull, as that would have been impractical, but rather the smaller skull of a young animal…a baby wolf, maybe? Aris didn’t want to come close enough to find out.

Bane finally opened his mouth and spoke – despite his large, muscular body his voice wasn’t deep and rumbly, but rather merry, like he laughed a lot, ‘’ready to talk?’’ the sound of it infuriated Aris and he grabbed the first thing closest to him – the first thing on the pile of clothes left on the small, hard bed on the corner and tossed it at the bandit. It sailed pathetically through the air; this time Bane made no move to avoid it, like he had with the food, perhaps not expecting Aris to snap so quickly. The material plomped on his head sadly, hiding his face from view, ‘’well,’’ Bane’s voice was muffled, ‘’I’ll take that as a no.’’ he sighed deeply before yanking the material off his head. Aris growled, pissed off for Bane not stepping up to the challenge. He picked up one of the clean boots that had also been laid out for him and tossed them at Bane’s head. Bane’s eyes widened as he ducked, narrowly avoiding it, ‘’hey, that’s-‘’

‘’Get out!’’ Aris roared, grabbing the second boot, which got Bane straight in the stomach. Aris swivelled around, almost mad with rage, trying to find something else to toss at him. Bane got the message, quickly backing out of the room.

‘’Okay, okay, I’m gone!’’ he said defensively, slamming the doors shut quickly behind him like a shield. Aris heard the click of the lock and his heart sank, the fight going out of him – even the company of Bane was better than no company for another week. A few seconds later Bane’s muffled voice reached him through the wood, ‘’let me know when you’re ready to talk.’’ Aris picked up one of the boots and threw it at the doors. It hit it with a half-hearted thump, but Bane got the message; a minute later Aris could no longer feel his presence behind the doors.

*~*~*

Upon seeing Asakura’s Emperor, Shayan, Mihai felt a dull tingle of excitement in his stomach, but that was it. He knew there was no mythical mating bond between them, but he tried to stay positive. The Emperor was definitely beautiful – tall and sleek like a willow, with long, night-dark hair falling gracefully down his back. He wore strange clothes – a wide sleeved kimono, pulled across in complicated layers above his collarbones, open to reveal a long shirt and dark trousers. His eyes were strange, too. Mihai didn’t think he’d ever seen eyes like that – he was used to the dark skinned foreigners from Moriya but not to the almond shaped, single lidded, dark-as-the-pits-of-hell eyes that all Asakurians seemed to share. Still, they weren’t ugly. On the contrary, Mihai found them as enticing as the Emperor seemed to find his silver hair, which his eyes seemed to follow as Mihai approached and bowed down to his future husband.

The carriage that had brought him from the Night Port to Roma, the City of Roses and the capital, clattered away and the gates of the palace grounds slammed shut. And then all was quiet – no birds, no bustling of servants that had been omnipresent in Kainan… and, to make matters worse, the Emperor did not speak, not for a long while. Mihai was beginning to wonder if there was something the Emperor didn’t like about him when Shayan stepped forward. The guards on either side of the courtyard did not move a muscle; it was almost as if they were alone. Shayan folded his pal hands primly in front of him and gave a slow, deep bow, his hair falling over his face like black silk. Mihai finally remembered himself – remembered he was a prince and Shayan was already a crowned emperor. He sank to one knee, bowing his head like he’d seen his brothers do countless times.

‘’Stand,’’ it was the first time he heard Shayan speak and the word was said with a light smile. Mihai practically jumped to his feet; he was on edge – he wanted to appear perfect. Shayan spoke with an accent, which hinted that he had not learnt the Kai language as a child. He spoke in a broken, yet sweet way, ‘’welcome to City of Roses. I’m glad you here. I hope you like the palace.’’ He gestured behind him. The ‘palace’ was definitely nothing like the grand towers and winding corridors of the royal palace back home. This palace was long, with many porches and bridges across rooms. There were sliding doors and no stairs – only the ground floor. Yet the palace was beautiful in its own way – each building was connected, with incarnate designs on the white walls and arched roofs made of golden tile that reflected the spring sun. A pagoda rose by the walls circulating around the grounds, topped with a pair of golden dragons, maws open as if to catch the sun between their teeth. Mihai could hear the distant rush of water and glimpsed a lazy river rolling through the palace ground, completed with a real bridge. The whole place was huge and isolated, like a little kingdom of its own. All around cherry blossom trees bloomed, like the design on Shayan’s kimono, ‘’Sakura trees,’’ the Emperor said with a smile, seeing Mihai look. He kept a respectful distance.

‘’They’re beautiful,’’ Mihai breathed, astounded by the strangeness and wonder of this new place. He followed Shayan towards the main building. The carriage had probably already gotten to their bedroom and was unloading trunks. But Mihai was in no rush. Everywhere they went there were guards, as silent and sentient as ancient trees, so you barely noticed them. He figured that servants were the same. They walked a little without speaking, Mihai taking in his surroundings, until they passed a squat building, decorated with a thousand roses and completely separated from the rest of the palace. While the palace had sliding doors and open windows, giving a breezy, open feel, this building had barred windows and guards at every doors – keeping people out, ‘’what’s in there?’’ Mihai asked before he could stop himself.

Shayan shrugged, like it was not a big deal, ‘’my harem.’’

*~*~*

Kaen was pissed that, despite not choosing his husband, he couldn’t even ride out to meet him. Prince Ilia of Moriya landed in Blackhaven port (‘’too far away and too dangerous for your to travel to’’ – Johan) a week prior and yet his journey had been delayed. Despite having a military escort, travelling around the Moher Mountains through Belladonna and Massacoury and crossing the Sorata River to get to the capital took longer than expected. The wedding was very nearly postponed when, on the day of the ceremony, Kaen was awoken early in the morning by an over-excited Elentina, who now tried to keep up the presence of both her and Aris, ‘’he’s here! He’s here! Your Omega husband is here!’’ she cried.

‘’He’s not my husband. Just my fiancé,’’ Kaen grumbled, but he got dressed hastily. He was excited, of course. He’d never had someone for himself – Johan was the main protector of Mihai, Aris and Elentina were partners in crime, but Kaen was isolated. He was excited more than appropriately necessary about having someone to care for, that none of his siblings could care for. And somewhere deep down there was the satisfaction that he got someone when Mihai was in a foreign country and Aris was missing. Of course he felt bad about it straight away but…still.

Kaen had forced himself to walk, not run, to the courtyard, where his fiancé had unexpectedly arrived with the Calvary. They were unloading his many trunks and his dowry when Kaen entered the courtyard. He first noticed a dark skinned, dark haired girl, whom he quickly found out was Yeshel, Ilia’s personal servant. She was dressed skimpily for spring and she contracted hugely with Ilia himself. Kaen had not expected to see him…like this. Ilia was covered head to toe – Kaen knew Moriyan royalty had a thing about prudence and chastity but this was a bit much, even for him. He wore long sleeves and pants in bright colours, a scarf wrapped around his head under a turban, tucked under his chin. Another piece of cloth circled his head, hiding his mouth and nose, leaving only his startlingly golden, large eyes and a strip of light brown skin. Kaen had to admit that overall the effect made him crave more – he wanted to know how the combo of silver omega hair and dark skin looked on him, how his body was underneath all those layers…

He knew enough not to initiate contact before the wedding. Instead, he bowed deeply and when he straightened prince Ilia’s eyes crinkled on the corners. He was smiling. Kaen felt his own smile bloom as the prince lowered his head, closing his eyes, and held the position for a few seconds. He then straightened and folded his hand – the only part of him uncovered other than his eyes – over his heart in a fist briefly, before extending it in Kaen’s direction, palm flat. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was the gesture of respect and admiration and Kaen found himself grinning now. He was perfect. Utterly, 100% perfect.

 

He was whisked away before Kaen could properly look at him. Kaen threw himself full force into preparation for the wedding ceremony. He ignored everything, moving and doing what he was told, his mind occupied with the golden-eyed prince. But there was one thing he could not ignore.

‘’He’s such a prude! How will he please the prince?’’ ‘’With his clothes on!’’ this he caught as he walked across the hall, from two young servants who then burst into giggles.

‘’I understand having darkies around, I mean they are exotic and all…but seriously, all that covering was just weird,’’ this was from one of the lords as they whispered in the chamber in which Kaen was getting dressed. He gritted his teeth, ‘’they’re good for slaves, not for husbands!’’

And then, finally, ‘’man, he’s getting discarded in days. No one wants a holy husband whose no fun in bed,’’ this from the guards by his doors, who didn’t hear him. It actually came from the bigger one, who towered over Kaen, but the prince slammed him into the wall anyway, using the element of surprise.

‘’Is that my future husband you’re speaking about?’’ he growled.

‘’N-no, your majesty!’’ he spluttered, knowing he could not retaliate.

‘’The only men around here who are good for sleeping with once and discarding,’’ Kaen hissed coldly, grinding his fist, which was fisted into the guard’s shirt, further into his chest, ‘’are men like you.’’ He released him and stepped back, his eyes oozing eyes, ‘’discharged.’’

The guard’s eyes widened, ‘’but, your majest-‘’

‘’Discharged,’’ Kaen repeated, louder, ‘’or would you prefer ‘executed’ for treason against a prince?’’ The guard scrambled away while his partner trembled in shock. Kaen now turned to him, ‘’let the palace know; if I hear anyone speak ill of Prince Ilia I will have them whipped publicly.’’

He left the guard running the other way and went to the temple where Johan’s wedding had been nearly a month before, to be wed.

*~*~*

It was like déjà-vu except this time Kaen was at the altar and Johan was in the pews. And, this time, Mihai wasn’t there. And Aris wasn’t there either. Their family pew seemed empty, even with Johan’s broad shoulders and the huge, royal, red cloak hanging all the way to the floor. Kaen himself had been done up in a dark blue tunic finished with gold and matching pants, brand new boots and a black cloak. His hair was freshly washed and fell in soft ways to his shoulders from the dampness, the locks pulled back from his face in a little braid at the back of his head rather than a ponytail. Prince Ilia, it seemed, was bundled up in even more brightly coloured layers than before but his golden eyes crinkled with a smile once more when he made the journey down the aisle to stand opposite Kaen. Even his hands were covered this time with silk gloves. Kaen gave the smallest of smiles and, clenching and unclenching the fist hidden from the public, he realised he was nervous.

There was a short passage read from the book of the gods and then it was time for their vows. Kaen had been spacing out when Johan said his to Serafin, who now stood next to the king in their family pew, dressed all in white with a silver cape, but now, as he spoke, each word was as clear and precise as a slice of a dagger, ‘’Ilia Hakan, from the House of Shah, I, Kaen Adamon, of House Hyndestane, take you as my husband, with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with all my faults and strengths. I choose you to spend the rest of my life with.’’

Thankfully Kainan was one of those countries where only the ‘dominant’ husband or wife says the vow, while the other simply accepts it gratefully. In this case, the corners of Ilia’s eyes crinkled again with a hidden smile… but he made no move to uncover himself. Kaen remembered faintly, from his history tutor, that Moriyan royalty did not take their layers of clothing off, especially in front of foreigners, until they were wed and alone with their husband or wife. It symbolised the freedom marriage provided for their souls. Which meant that Ilia would not uncover his mouth. Which meant Kaen could not kiss him. Which mean their marriage could not be sealed…

All around he heard barely-covered giggles of royalty waiting for his next move. He could force Ilia to take the piece of cloth covering his face off and humiliate him in front of all these foreigners in order to get what he wanted. But Kaen wasn’t one for force – he wasn’t Johan and he certainly wasn’t Aris. He was much smarter than both of them put together. He calmly reached for Ilia’s hand and surprise flashed in the boy’s eyes when Kaen slowly removed his glove, slipping it off his long, brown fingers till his hand was exposed. Then, slowly and deliberately so that everyone could see, he raised it up and pressed a lingering kiss to his knuckles.

‘’I profess these two princes unified under the eyes of the gods!’’ the priest announced and the crowd cheered.

The royalty was suddenly on the move and Kaen found himself in the heart of it, led to the temple doors. Through the affair he kept a firm hand locked around Ilia’s, pulling him along and making sure he didn’t get lost. They were met with the setting sun and flower petals raining down on them like snow. It was a superstition to ward off the wrath and attention of the evil gods, but Kaen let the petals rain down on him and Ilia, who seemed to be smiling again, gripping his hand tightly. Kaen did not let him go till they were seated next to each other at the banquet table. Ilia sat straight and polite, but did not speak – Kaen had yet to hear his voice – and did not eat as his mouth was still covered. Giddy with excitement he so rarely felt, Kaen didn’t touch the food either, deciding that if his husband wasn’t going to eat, he could do without too.

He half-expected Ilia to be clumsy in his heavy, long attire when they made their way to the dance-floor, but he was anything but. The colourful layers seemed to be like a second skin to him and he danced and moved around freely, first with Kaen, then with Johan, as tradition insisted, with Elentina and then with Kaen again. After his siblings each had a turn, Kaen had no desire to let Ilia go again. When he was alone and dancing with other, he found himself scanning the crowd for the telltale silver braid belonging to Mihai or Aris’ tall, straight, bony figure poking above everyone else. When he only found the silver hair of Rehan and Jhoka his heart sank. Once, when Elentina was dancing with him, she noticed his gaze, ‘’I miss them, too,’’ she said softly and Kaen forced himself to stop reminiscing. She had it worse – she’d be off to Sahr soon and she wouldn’t get to see Mihai and Aris as often as they would, when Mihai visited or when Aris was finally found.

Still, Kaen found himself longing for their juvenile days, when everything was so simple. When Aris and Elentina fought over everything: who could run faster up the hills, dive deeper into the Sorata or shoot an arrow further; who could fight better using swords, who could fight better using fists or who could steal more sweets from the kitchen without the head maid noticing or Jhoka catching them. He longed for the sunny days he spent in the teaching room, with his tutors drawling on and him looking out into the sun warmed garden. He longed for Mihai’s sweet singing voice by the fireplace on winter nights, or during summer sunsets when they were all wet from the river and drying on sun-warmed rocks. He longed for Johan’s boasting, which he had only recently grown out of – ‘I will be king’, and then his childish threats when he couldn’t get what he wanted – ‘I’ll toss you in prison when I’m king for saying that, Kaen!’, ‘Elentina, you can’t speak like that to your future king!’, ‘I let you win – that’s what king’s do. Don’t get full of yourself, Aris.’

All these thoughts disappeared when he danced with Ilia. Maybe because he knew that, no matter what happened, Ilia would not be married off or kidnapped and he wouldn’t just leave, because they were married now. In his suddenly shifting life this stranger was his only constant.

The feast seemed to drag out. Johan was controlling his drinking which meant he was moody in the corner, especially when Serafin was having a great time dancing with Elentina, who was unsteady on her feet. Each time a dance ended, she pulled him in for another. Jhoka, tired of searching the room for misbehaviour and suspicious activity, finally collapsed in a chair next to the Queen Mother with a glass of wine in her hand. Kaen glanced around the room and found Ilia, having just been released from the arms of a distant cousin of Kaen’s, walking off the dance floor and his desire, which he hadn’t realise he’d been harbouring all evening, flared. Some candles had gone out in the ballroom; it was dark and intimate and loud and no one would notice their disappearance.

Ilia gave him that surprised look again when Kaen appeared out of nowhere and took his hand. He had enough of waiting; he wanted to see his husband. Ilia seemed to understand his need. He readjusted his hand, once again gloved, in Kaen’s grip and let him lead him out of the doors, down the dark corridors and up the stairs to their bedchamber. It wasn’t Kaen’s – for their wedding, as a present from Johan, they’d gotten a whole suite of the palace that had just been renovated. The interior was magnificent, with the bed dominating one corner of their bedroom and a fireplace already blazing in the other. Kaen let Ilia walk in first, then took his time closing the massive oak doors. When he turned around, Ilia was already undressing.

Kaen stayed where he was, watching Ilia take off layer by layer. It was dark now; Ilia wasn’t looking at him, the soft glow of the candles illuminating the colourful designs of the material that he unwrapped. To Kaen his clothes looked complicated and alien but Ilia undressed with a quiet, quick efficiency. Kaen first glimpsed his legs as the longer layers were dropped to the floor. They were long but not overly long, as Ilia wasn’t massively tall, and there was a delicious softness to his thighs just barely visible through the last bottom layer. Next was a kind of Asakurian kimono, which he slipped off almost teasingly – revealing the rounded slope of his brown shoulders, then his long, dark arms. Finally he was standing in what seemed to be Moriyan undergarments, which still covered up his torso, stomach and hips. Calmly, he untucked the piece of material from around his mouth and nose, and Kaen remembered he was supposed to be breathing.

He had the typical Moriyan nose – large, rounded, cute. And his lips were full and just…kissable. Kaen found himself itching to touch him. Finally Ilia looked at him with his golden eyes, that fit so well with the rest of his features, and took hold of the tip of the turban, which still covered his silver hair and went all the way down, nearly covering his eyes. He begun unwrapping and Kaen smiled. Ilia kept his eyes on him as the turban got smaller and smaller until it finally slipped off and hit the floor.

And Kaen realised he had been tricked as a devilish smirk blossomed on Ilia’s mouth.

Because his hair wasn’t silver.

It was night-black.


	4. The King Consort of Kainan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for all the Kudos & comments & bookmarks, I'm loving the support <3  
> Let me know which pairing is your fav so far ;D

Kaen kissed his sister goodbye while thinking about war – and how much he wanted it. Elentina, on the other hand, did not care about war, or the fact that her brother’s non-Omega husband stood a little while off, smiling pleasantly as if all was good in the world, or the fact that Johan looked so tired he was ready to jump off the cliff. Elentina rarely cried but now her eyes were filled with tears – not because she was leaving. She loved her brothers and her country but the intrigue and problems that were simmering at court would soon explode, and she would gladly be well out of range. She was crying from frustration and anger, because it had been weeks and the search parties had not found hide nor hair of Aris, even after combing through the mountains. Although the mountains were huge – treacherous and full of caves, the three peaks of the Moher Mountains were impenetrable – the bottoms were covered in thick forests, the tops with murderous ice. Many men had been lost on the expedition to find Aris and soon, once summer was over, the mountains would become too cold to venture into. They’d have to wait until winter was gone to renew the search, and Elentina knew that if that happened, he would not be found.

She also didn’t want to marry a fifty year old man, king or no. But now Johan could do what he liked, and he wanted to protect his siblings more than anything, so Elentina was going. And Kaen was so concentrated on the collective betrayal of Ilia and his country that he couldn’t bring himself to think about how he was losing his only sister as he kissed her goodbye. She made a big show of kissing Johan and Serafin, her mother and even Ilia himself, who made an equally good show of looking touched. She glanced once more at Johan, her eyes pleading, but he did not relent and she glared at him before boarding her ship with a dozen servants. Within half an hour the ship had left the docks and the party turned to go back to the palace. To Serafin’s and Johan’s surprise, Kaen climbed into their carriage, leaving Ilia alone – Kaen didn’t think he’d be able to sit through another ride filled with a tense silence and Ilia’s smirks.

‘’We have to talk,’’ he said to his brother, who exchanged surprised looks with his husband.

‘’Maybe now’s not the time. Serafin’s coronation is tomor-‘’

‘’Oh, _now’s the time_ ,’’ Kaen growled, ‘’he’s not on Omega. We’ve fallen right into the trap of those Moriyan bastards. They disposed of the unwanted second prince, whose not even an Omega, and think they have bested us. This is an insult. And keeping Ilia around is an even bigger insult – he thinks he’s such a genius for seeing the plan through and getting married to me.’’

Johan sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, ‘’what do you want me to do? Divorce is not acknowledged. Not here and not in any of the five kingdoms.’’

‘’So, what? I’m just supposed to keep that snake around? Bed him? Have children with him? Are you _crazy_?’’

‘’Maybe we’re over reacting,’’ Johan said firmly, ‘’so his hair is not silver. They lied but…’’

‘’I think Kaen is right,’’ Serafin spoke quietly and Kaen looked at him. He often forgot that Serafin had been trained to be king in Salar, ‘’Ilia is a sign of a new friendship between Moriya and Kainan. But this friendship is built on a lie. Besides,’’ he glanced at Johan and a look passed between them that Kaen didn’t understand, ‘’I have a bad feeling about him.’’

Johan bit his lip, ‘’so what would you two have me do about him?’’

Kaen shrugged, ‘’send him back on charges that King Izyan lied about his brother being an Omega. Or accuse him of adultery and send him to a temple – we’d turn out to be merciful for even letting him live. Or lock him away till we come up with a better plan.’’

Johan sighed, ‘’first Aris, now this. Fine. I think the third option is the most reasonable. We’ll have him put in the tower under lock and key.’’

‘’And that head servant of his, too. I don’t trust her,’’ Kaen pushed and Johan nodded.

‘’Fine. Her, too. Only after the coronation, though. But you do realise this might end in a war either way. I doubt King Izyan will be happy his little brother is being treated like a prisoner.’’

Kaen crossed his arms over his chest and looked out of the small window, ‘’well, what does he expect us to do? Maybe he doesn’t want him around, but neither do we. I was promised an Omega and I won’t settle for anything else.’’ He glared at Johan as if it was his fault, ‘’and now we’re married, so I can’t even be wed to a proper Omega. Honestly, I just want his smug face out of my sight.’’

Johan sighed once again. He really wasn’t all that good at this ‘king’ thing. In fact, he probably had the worst beginning of his reign than any King before – it not only started with a bandit attack on his coronation day, but then he managed to lose his brother to their king, get married to a mad-man (even though he didn’t think of Serafin like that, the rest of the court did), and then he agreed to a treaty that stemmed from a lie that severely pissed off his brother. What was he meant to do with Ilia anyway? He couldn’t keep him in a tower forever. Maybe a temple was a good idea after all, but Kaen needed to have children. He was not only the second prince (or now the first) of Kainan, but also the prince of Hyuuga, Capadonia and Kai, the three major islands around Kainan. And then there was the matter of the rest of the land – Aris was still the Duke of Massacoury and Belladonna, but he was missing so now Johan would have to work with his appointed lords who ran the areas for him.

Now with the rest of his siblings gone he’d have to distribute land accordingly and keep a close eye on them – Elentina had been duchess of Rethymon and Darien, and Mihai the duke of Blackhaven port and, more importantly, Santa Sierra, which was as religious as you got, and if Johan got that lot angry then, well... To sum it up, he was threatened with a religious war, a foreign war and, if he didn’t get his shit together, probably a civil war as well. Gods, sometimes he wished he had been born second or third.

Serafin seemed to be able to read his mind, as he slipped his pale hand into Johan’s and squeezed, smiling tightly. Johan glanced at him tiredly. Since their ‘wedding night’, Johan hadn’t touched Serafin. He was worried he’d get another one of his episodes, and he was getting quite good at convincing himself that the strange fit Serafin had that night had been a singular occurrence. He tried his best to ignore the whispers of the Mad King at court, because he didn’t want to add problems to his already impressive pile by issuing a treason law for saying something against Serafin. The court could think what they wanted – it didn’t change the fact that Serafin was going to be crowned King Consort tomorrow.

*~*~*

‘’That was so mature of you, my dear husband~,’’ Kaen gritted his teeth when he entered his chambers only to find Ilia already lounging on his bed, his smirk in place. As soon as Ilia revealed himself to be a Beta, Kaen had ordered servants to put him in a spare room, ‘’riding in a different carriage to avoid me.’’

‘’How did you get past the guards?’’ Kaen asked coldly.

Ilia shrugged, like it wasn’t important, ‘’I’m your husband. I have access to anywhere I want to go,’’ his eyes darkened and his smile turned more…malicious. It made Kaen feel like an idiot, because he had protected Ilia’s good name, and done all those embarrassing things, like kissing his hand…and Ilia had smiled, like he was really glad, but now Kaen wondered if he had really been smirking at his idiocy, ‘’which means you can’t get rid of me.’’

‘’Is that your plan? Follow me around until my nerves wear thin and I have you executed?’’ Kaen asked and forced a smirk onto his own lips, even though he was not amused in the least, ‘’what a brat you are, prince.’’ There was a stab of annoyance – just a brief one – in Ilia’s golden eyes but Kaen knew he had hit his mark, so he kept hitting, strolling over to Ilia casually and sitting on the bed, ‘’what are you? Sixteen?’’

‘’Seventeen,’’ Ilia ground out, his smirk disappearing, ‘’I’m not that much younger than you, so get off your high horse.’’

Kaen huffed, ‘’oh, please. Six years is quite the gap. And it is quite clear that you’re still a child,’’ he schooled his features into distaste, ‘’really, even if you were an Omega I would not touch you. What was your brother thinking? Did he really want to get rid of his annoying, immature brother that much?’’

Again something flashed in Ilia’s eyes and Kaen hoped he would lash out, like young men tended to do, and seal Kaen’s victory as the ‘man’ – and forever label himself as a ‘boy’ in Kaen’s eyes. But then the anger faded and the smirk spread itself over his full lip as he reached over to wind a dark finger around Kaen’s dark gold hair. Kaen didn’t smack his hand away, wanting to remain level headed and calm, even as Ilia’s eyes challenged him to react. Finally, unable to take it anymore, Kaen grabbed Ilia’s wrist and jerked it away from his hair. It was thin, like a stem of a flower, and Kaen guessed he would win a physical fight if it ever came to it, ‘’I have no idea what you’re so smug about,’’ he said icily, ‘’your brother lied about which type you are, and thus our alliance exists no more. In a matter of days Johan will declare war on Moriya and then you’ll be a political prisoner – which means I could do anything to you. Execution is my favourite option at the moment, but maybe I’ll give you to my guards to play with first. After-all, they do seem to think that that’s the only thing you’re good for.’’ That wasn’t strictly true – after Ilia had discarded his attire, despite his black curly hair, the guards shut up about his appearance. In fact, Ilia quickly became the most beautiful person at court.

But, even as Kaen threatened him, Ilia’s smirk remained in place – or, rather, it seemed to widen. Confused and irritated, Kaen pushed on, ‘’what are you smiling about? Is this some childish revenge on your brother for sending you here? You can’t blame him for having enough of you.’’ Finally his irritation gave way, ‘’what are you grinning about? Your lies will result in war with your home country?’’

Ilia’s eyes glittered at that prospect as he looked Kaen dead in the eye, ‘’good.’’

*~*~*

Aris was running away. It had been days since Bane’s last visit, so he figured he was off his radar for a few more. The doors were still bolted shut – even if he pried them open, he’d have to run through the whole fortress and he probably wouldn’t make it to the first doors before Bane spotted him – he still didn’t think there was anyone else in the fortress, but perhaps that was because no sound penetrated the stone walls. Maybe he was underground? No, there was light falling in through the single window by the ceiling – and that window was Aris’ way to freedom. His skin was crawling – he could not stay here any longer. The knowledge that he missed Johan’s wedding, coronation and the arrival of his husband made him seething mad. But he knew that back in Queensbane Elentina, Johan and Kaen were searching for him without rest. And Mihai was probably so worried he rarely left his room. The knowledge that his family was waiting for him gave him the strength to move the heavy stone bed to the window, scraping the floor pretty badly. It only took one try for him to grab the windowsill and he wondered why he hadn’t tried this route of escape before. Maybe it was his Omega instincts stopping him from leaving his mate – but now his determination had overridden his instinct.

Aris hauled himself onto the ledge and balanced himself precariously on the edge. The window was tiny and circular – unlike the wide, square windows typical in Kainan. Aris swallowed down the fear that maybe he wasn’t in Kainan anymore – after-all he had been unconscious for the journey. The window was made of tinted glass, so when the sun was up the room was bathed in an orange glow, like it was always sun-down. Strangely enough the moon shone through strongly through – maybe this was the rumoured ‘moon glass’ Aris had never had any interest in. Moon glass or not, the Omega had no problem ripping a piece of his tunic off, wrapping it around his fist and smashing it through the window. It broke neatly into larger pieces, a light spray of glass coating Aris’ hair like tiny diamonds. He shook the glass out and used his bandaged hand to get rid of residue shards around the edges of the window.

Once that was done, Aris tucked his fingers out and grabbed hold of the top of the window, then carefully squeezed himself through. Not for the first time Aris was glad for his size – even though he was tall, he was also incredibly bony, wired with hard muscle, but still thin. Pulling himself through the smashed window was no challenge. Once he was barely hanging over on the other side of his prison, he counted to three and let go, grabbing the lower ledge. He didn’t like to admit, but he’d never been good with heights – now he forced himself to glance down and nearly cried with relief when he saw the rocky floor not too far down. He counted to three again and released the ledge, landing neatly on the ground.

As soon as his feet touched rock the wind whipped around him, wild as a typhoon. His short hair flew all over his face and the wind tugged on his clothes. He whipped around and nearly screamed. He was on a stone ledge jutting out from a mountain, with a sharp drop towards the minuscule forest below. He turned back around and gasped. He was in a fortress alright – an impenetrable fortress. His cell had literally been carved in the mountainside, with the window being an opening hacked from the rock. He recognised the mountain as one of the Moher peaks, shooting up and up and disappearing in the early morning mist. All up this side of the mountain, facing the drop, were caves upon caves – that was the fortress. This was where the bandits lived and no doubt there were corridors and rooms carved into it, hidden from the world. From here he could almost see the peak to the left, which means this one was the last mountain, closest to Massacoury, Belladonna and Blackhaven port.

Aris turned back around and faced the ledge – if he could find a way to climb down and go East he’d stumble into one of the cities at some point, and there he could ask to be transported to-

‘’You bastard!’’ Aris didn’t even have time to turn before someone turned him and he came face-to-face with a young boy. No, not a boy. A woman with incredibly short, silver hair – she was practically bold but it was clear that she was an Omega. Aris was momentarily frozen in his spot as he eyed her up and down. She was nothing like an Omega should be – the arm which had grabbed the front of his filthy tunic to yank him around was muscular and tanned, her eyes on fire, her mouth twisted in a snarl. Aris had only a moment to admire her before he was thrust over the ledge. He yelped and held back the scream, not daring to struggle as the woman held him single-handedly over the drop. He tried not to think about the trees below, or how they would impale him if the woman chose to drop him.

‘’Calm down, Merina,’’ a bored voice drawled and another girl appeared in Aris’ line of vision, standing next to the Omega at the ledge of the cliff, ‘’my brother won’t be too happy if we return his mate to him in a bloody mush,’’ Aris didn’t dare look at her for more than a second, concentrating on Merina instead, but he could see she had Bane’s colouring – tan skin and brown eyes and hair.

‘’Why don’t we all calm down?’’ a third girl came to join the others. She was dark, probably Moriyan by origin, and had a long dark brown braid falling over one shoulder. Despite the wickedly curved blade across her back, she had a sweet face and Aris noted that if he had to appeal to anyone to stop Merina from dropping him, it would be her, ‘’he’s not doing anything wrong, technically. It’s not like he’s a prisoner of war or anything. It’s not his fault Bane decided he was his mate and locked him in the cell – hell, if I was him, I’d try to run away too-‘’

‘’Roshni, quit lecturing,’’ Merina said from the corner of her mouth, but she lowered Aris onto the ledge, her eyes still glaring, ‘’and you. Silver. Quit running away if you know what’s good for you.’’

‘’You know, if we call him Silver, everyone will just mix him up with Sylver and I don’t know if that’s good cause-‘’

‘’Roshni, quit babbling!’’ Merina snapped.

But Aris, now that he had firm footing, concentrated on their words – ‘everyone’ – and someone called Sylver – that meant there were more bandits. Of course, that wasn’t hard to figure out, but that just made Aris’ escape all the more harder. Maybe the best thing to do was lay low and wait for Johan – by now he must have realised who had taken him. Kay, or some other soldier, must have told him. Still, Aris didn’t like that plan – he didn’t like waiting to be rescued like a…well, Omega.

So maybe escape was the better option after all.

While Merina was arguing with Roshni, Aris sprinted forward. He slammed into Merina, who was more or less his size, with all his strength, knocking her flat on his ass. He used his momentum to run towards the stunned Roshni and, before she could react, he yanked her blade over her shoulder and twisted around, tucking the curve against her neck. One move of his arm was all it would take to severe her head. She seemed to know that too because she went very still and when she spoke again her voice was levelled and calm, ‘’now, why don’t we put that down before we do something we’ll regret?’’ she asked. She turned to Bane’s sister, ‘’Mayflower.’’ She said tightly.

She had already reached for her own blade, tucked against her hip, and was staring at Aris with all the ferocity that burned in Merina’s eyes. _Damn, these ladies are tough_ Aris thought, but it didn’t make a difference. He could still take them, especially if he got rid of Roshni first-

A sharp stab of pain shot through his stomach, making him stumble away from Roshni, who had elbowed his abdomen when he hadn’t been concentrating. Damn, she was good – probably one of those girl who sat in a tree for hours on end just to assassinate the soldier camping below at the right time. In the time it took Aris to straighten, Mayflower – a peculiar name, but then her brother was called Bane – was on him, her curved blade angled around his throat so now he was at the danger of being beheaded. Merina was there in seconds, not caring about the treacherous wind. Aris felt her blade prick his back, ‘’drop the sword,’’ Mayflower hissed and Aris, smartly, did as he was told. It clattered to the floor and was snatched up by Roshni in a second – she pointed it at him also. Now he was three-to-one and weapon less – not good odds. And to add to his misfortune…

‘’Ladies, please, I’d rather have him in one piece.’’ Bane strolled over to them casually – Aris had no idea where he had come from. In fact he didn’t know where the three bandits came from, either, because he didn’t see any other exit other than the window. Perhaps this hide out was much more complex than he expected. The three obediently stepped away, lowering their swords, and their heads in a sign of respect, even Bane’s sister. Bane was grinning and Aris spotted a dimple in his cheek, amongst the various scars that littered his face. It made him seem less…feral. Again, he was in a sleeve-less tunic, despite the sharp wind.

Aris couldn’t control himself – he had always been impulsive. Before Bane could utter another word, Aris lunged himself at him, ‘’you bastard!’’ he roared, echoing Merina’s words. The swords couldn’t slash hard enough as Aris’ fist went down, hard, aiming for Bane’s grinning face. It never got there. Bane grabbed his first easily in his hand and whipped him around, locking his arms behind him, and pulling him tightly against his chest. The spot between Aris’ shoulder and neck throbbed with a sudden desire to be bitten. The bite was an ancient ritual, back from the first batch of mankind, who had evolved from wolves. For the first few generations they could still shift into wolf forms, and they bit each other when they found their mates, to forever mark them as theirs – another person could not take a marked mate. Thousands years later mates were rare and no one could shift – Aris wasn’t sure he believed the tales of the wolf-people anyway. But the fact remained that some people were still mates and could not fight the primal attraction and instinct to be together. The submissive of the pair also felt the need to be bitten by his mate.

Aris’ heart fell – this just meant that he really was Bane’s mate. And if Bane chose to bite him, Aris could never leave. No one would be able to help him, even his brother. He tucked his shoulder up, protecting his neck. Bane stiffened at the gesture. It was an insult – his mate didn’t want his bite. But rather than going into a rage, he squeezed his wrists gently and released him, taking a healthy step back, ‘’ladies, if you could escort him back to his cell, I would be eternally grateful.’’

*~*~*  


Mihai lay on the bed of his chamber, reminiscing about his first day in the imperial palace.

Shayan hadn’t stayed with him long after Mihai was met with the horrifying fact that his future husband had a fully functioning harem, excusing himself for business matters in broken Kai. He wasn’t left alone though – there were guards everywhere. Plus, as soon as Shayan left, another person appeared.

‘’I am Mohadesh,’’ a tall, regal looking woman of darker colouring introduced herself in far better Kai than Shayan. She wore Asakurian robes – wide sleeves and patterned layers. She almost looked like a Moriyan bride, ‘’I am the head of the Harem. Emperor Shay had asked me to show you to your rooms.’’ _Shay_ – that sounded much less imposing than Shayan. Mihai forced himself to relax. He might have been an Omega virgin but Shay was a healthy twenty one year old – apparently with raging appetites. Of course he would have a Harem before he got a husband or a wife. But now that Mihai was here, he wouldn’t use it – Mihai would satisfy his every need. That’s what he promised himself.

They entered the Imperial palace – it was as grand inside as it had been outside but Mohadesh, whom Mihai realise wasn’t a woman of many words – spent no time showing him around. As she walked him straight to his rooms, she explained that the wedding would only occur in a few weeks and that till then Mihai would be busy every day studying Asakurian language and history, poetry, music and dance – the same things he had studied in Kainan. He was sometimes jealous of Aris, who had rebelled early on and refused to take the standard Omega lessons, instead indulging in sword play with Johan, studying philosophy with Kaen or archery with Elentina. He tried to be as obedient and well behaved as he could as Mohadesh led him to his rooms – there was a lounge of sorts, with plenty of space to practice his dancing. There were plump pillows in the corner with a harp, a flute and a couple of other instruments Mihai did not recognise. There was a desk and a beautiful view of the gardens, with a conjoining bathing room. Mohadesh led him to the third room, which was his bedchamber.

Mihai was startled that there was no bed. Mohadesh explained that in Asakura everyone slept on bamboo mats – the peasants on bare, bad quality ones, and the royalty on carefully made ones, piled high with blankets and furs. It looked cosy but it would also take some getting used to, as would the sliding doors that were _everywhere_. And then there was one more issue – the mat was only big enough for one person.

Mihai cleared his throat, ‘’where will the Emperor sleep?’’

Mohadesh gave him a surprised look, ‘’in his chambers, of course?’’

Mihai looked at her, startled, ‘’do you mean…we don’t sleep together?’’

The head of the Harem snorted, ‘’of course not, prince. The Emperor does not invite anyone into his bed – his bedchambers are his utterly private quarters. No, he shall bed you in the love-making chamber that you shall see on your wedding night,’’ she said matter of factly and Mihai’s heart fell. He had looked forward to growing closer to Shay at night – then there would be no politics and no expectations, just Shay and Mihai. They could talk and laugh and touch – only slightly before the wedding – and in the dark night it would be romantic and slow and beautiful. But how could he get to know his husband better when he would be away all day on business and he’d spend his hours learning – and at night he would be alone! Despite promising himself he’d be strong, he felt tears threatening to spill over his cheeks.

‘’Could you…leave me alone for a bit? Please. Thank you.’’ He said to a surprise Mohadesh, who quickly left the room. Mihai wept almost as soon as the doors slid closed behind her. He sank onto his mat and grabbed a pillow, which smelled differently from the pillows at home, but he still held it to his face to muffle his sobs. He tried hard not to hate it here, but he did – he hated the quiet courtyard of the palace, the soldiers who seemed dead in their armour, Shayan’s distance to him, the lack of interaction between them, his Harem, the cold, calculated behaviour of everyone around him, the fact he couldn’t speak Asakurian, the fact that he was completely, utterly alone…

He must have cried till sunset with brief pauses to stare at the wall and ponder on his situation. Mohadesh came in, once, to invite him to dinner but he politely declined. He must have looked like hell with red, puffy eyes and a dishevelled silver braid, because she left him alone. And then, when it was dark, during another one of his crying fits, when he was curled up on his mat, holding his pillow, Shay came in. Immediately Mihai felt ashamed for being so weak but he couldn’t stop the tears and he didn’t even have the energy to get up and face Shay. He hoped the Emperor would take one look at him and leave him alone to his misery, but a second later the pile of furs dipped as Shay sat down, a respectful distance away.

Mihai felt a light tug at the back of his head as Shay picked up his braid and begun playing with it, ‘’pretty,’’ he whispered. When Mihai didn’t react, trying to stifle his sobs, Shay touched his shoulder awkwardly, ‘’not cry.’’ He said. He seemed to be grasping for words to translate his thoughts, ‘’you…home? Miss home?’’ he corrected himself. Mihai nodded, pulling on the braid still in Shay’s hand. Shay let go of it and Mihai felt him shuffle around as he lay down and touched his arm again, ‘’sorry. I sorry. I is sorry?’’ Shay didn’t seem to be able to say it properly and that made Mihai laugh. At the sound Shay relaxed and Mihai felt a dainty kissed dropped on his head. He couldn’t help it anymore – he needed physical reassurance that Shay wanted him in his country. He rolled over and latched himself onto the Emperor, burying his nose into his clothes. They smelled like cherry blossoms.

Shay apparently wasn’t accustomed to so much contact, especially when they weren’t even married, because he patted Mihai’s back awkwardly when the Omega snuggled further into him. Finally he seemed to realise that Mihai wouldn’t let him go until he offered something solid so he wrapped his arms around him and squeezed once, tightly, and Mihai could have sobbed at the blissful happiness that flooded his body. Shay was gone too quickly, pulling a fur on top of Mihai. He looked down on him. In the darkness his eyes were black as night. He was so beautiful Mihai’s heart skipped a beat, ‘’sleep,’’ he said softly, and Mihai already felt his eyes closing, exhausted by a day of crying, ‘’Mihai,’’ Shay said quietly, testing his name and then Mihai was asleep.

*~*~*

Elenia got her first glimpse of the pair of kings almost a week after she entered the royal palace in Queensbane. She had quickly worked her way up the ranks in the servant quarters and, thanks to her golden hair and pretty face, she was selected by the head maid to be one of the servants at the banquet for Prince Serafin’s coronation. The Mad King’s coronation is what everyone else said, but Elenia wasn’t interested in gossip. As she watched from the corners of the ballroom as King Johan and newly crowned King Serafin danced, she repeated her goal in her head over and over again, as she had done in the weeks on that hateful, rocky ship that got her to Kainan, as she had in the months it took her to plug herself in the palace, as she had at nights, waiting for her chance.

Kill the king.

Kill the king.

Kill the king.

Kill my brother, King Johan.


	5. The Queen Consort of Sahr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys pls comment it makes my day <3 It also makes me more motivated to update ;)

_Dear Johan and Kaen,_

_I am writing to you to let you know that I have safely landed in Sahr and I am freshly wed. I am also writing to let you know that I am still extremely angry at you, Johan, and at you, Kaen, for not changing his mind about sending me away. But I have decided to be merciful, since you two are the only brothers within my reach, currently._

_Did you know that here Sahr is called the Home of the Stars? I didn’t either but it is easy to see why it was given this name – Sahr is much less populated with cities than Kainan and here the stars are as visible as if you were up there with them. It mirrors my beloved Queensbane, the City of Lights, but it is still a poor comparison. I long for home but I also try to settle in the royal palace in Saint Sebastien. The three of us visited it once, when we were children. Do you remember? I don’t remember any details, which would have come in handy as with each day I feel more and more homesick._

_I was wed three days to King Sava. He looks and acts fifty. He’s not like you, Johan, or father. I’ve never seen a weak king, but perhaps to me he seems weak for he is hunch-backed and slow in all he does. Even so, he is kind. It surprised me – I assumed that a man who could not find a wife for fifty years would be some kind of monster, or freak of nature, or maybe he would have the sickness of the mind, but he is, to quite simply put it, a romantic. Like an older version of Mihai. A much, much older version._

_His age is perhaps the thing that bothers me about him most – or the only thing. He could be my father, and every time I think this I cringe mentally. But he has welcomed me so that soon I will feel right at home in Sahr – he has given me beautiful gifts and my own household, which is in a beautiful marble building joined in with the palace – I even received a large portion of the garden! Here everything is made of cold marble and I can only imagine what it is like in winter. Saint Sebastien is awfully cold, even with spring in full bloom. I have steadily been learning the language, which I had mastered anyway in our lessons._

_I suppose I will tell you a little about the wedding, since my coronation will probably be old news by the time this letter reaches you – isn’t that funny? I’ll be Queen, and Mihai will be Emperor. Either way, the wedding was quite glamorous. As splendid as yours had been, Johan, but that is much expected considering I am the future queen. I have made friends with one person, and you will find it surprising that it is in fact Sava’s own sister. She is younger than him, perhaps forty, and she wears black like mother for her dead wife, Persis. Her name is Mahala and I find her presence quite soothing – she is almost like the older sister I’ve always wanted. You boys can be tiring._

_After the wedding – you should try the food when you come to visit, it’s simply splendid – it was time for the consummation. You will find it as embarrassing and disgusting to read as I feel writing it, so I will spare you the details. Let me just say this – I think Sava had been saving his strength by hobbling around slowly just so he could finish. It wasn’t awful – it wasn’t bad at all, but it was slow, for which I suppose I should be thankful for. Later we lay side by side and he wheezed – actually wheezed! – until he fell asleep. I didn’t think I could fall asleep next to an old man so I slipped back to my quarters which are fresh and new._

_I suppose I am being unfair about Sava. His age bothers me but I really find him kind, and immensely sweet, like a grandfather…which probably is not the best comparison. Night is falling now and soon I will be called for dinner, so this is all I’ll write for now. Let me just say that I’m glad our countries have this alliance, even if it is at my expense. I will be awaiting your reply._

_Your always loving sister,_

_Princess Elentina Alima of House ~~Hyndestane~~ Morgade _

*~*~*

Johan awoke to panting and sat up abruptly. Serafin was sitting up in bed, drenched in sweat, his red hair which usually stuck up around his head like flames plastered to his forehead. He was breathing hard, hand clenching the front of his white sleeping tunic for dear life. Johan felt momentary panic flutter in his chest but he forced it down, reminding himself that _he was king_ and he _would_ protect his husband. He reached out and held Serafin’s face between his hands, willing him to calm down. He didn’t speak, because Serafin’s eyes were glazed over like they had been that first night, and Johan knew he wouldn’t be able to hear him anyway. He waited patiently as Serafin gradually caught his breath and his black eyes sharpened again. They focused on Johan – without his ragged breathing the room was dead silent, ‘’what’s wrong?’’ Johan asked, his voice hoarse with worry.

‘’Bad dream,’’ Serafin whispered, leaning his sweaty forehead against Johan’s and closing his eyes, finally gaining control of his breathing. Usually Johan thought he looked mature beyond his age, but now he really did look nineteen, all curled up and shaking. Johan brushed his thumbs against his prominent cheekbones, once, and got up.

‘’I’ll get you a change of clothes. Take your shirt off.’’ Serafin obediently pulled the white tunic over his head. Beneath it he was as skinny and pale as he was everywhere else. Johan flushed like a fifteen year old virgin and turned to rummage in the chests full of clothes while Serafin held the soaked shirt limply between his long fingers, staring out of the window. Their marriage was still not consummated and Johan barely got to see Serafin naked. He only saw glimpses when he was changing. He found one of the softer, more casual tunics Serafin had brought with him and walked back to the bed, but did not extend him the clothes. Maybe it was his own selfishness – maybe he just wanted to see him naked a little more, ‘’what was the dream about?’’

Serafin averted his eyes, ‘’you know already.’’

Johan’s eyes softened, ‘’it’s about your god, isn’t it?’’

Serafin nodded, slowly, staring at the wall like he didn’t dare to look Johan in the eyes, ‘’the Queen Mother has been telling me to stop talking about her, because she isn’t real, so I stopped and she got angry that I was ignoring her because she’s only trying to protect me…’’ he choked on his words and then lifted one hand to his face, pressing his forehead into his palm and squeezing his eyes shut, ‘’I know you think I’m mad, I know you think she isn’t real but I just-‘’

Johan’s next words were a risk that could either worsen Serafin’s condition or better it. He put the tunic on the wooden poster of the bed, ‘’that’s okay. If you think she’s real, then I believe that she is.’’ Serafin dropped his hand and looked up at his husband, lightning fast. Johan smiled gently, hoping he resembled Mihai’s sweet smile in at least a small measure, ‘’she may protect you, but she seems to think you’re hers. And she’s wrong.’’ He walked forward and stood in front of Mihai, who sat on the bed, stunned, in the dark. Using the tips of his fingers, Johan lifted Serafin’s face up – he was staring at him with eyes as black as night, ‘’because you’re mine now. And only mine. Forever.’’ He smiled again, ‘’you should tell her that.’’

The next thing Johan knew was Serafin’s eyes filling with tears, and then he lunged himself up onto the King, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. They’d kissed before, many times, since their wedding – gentle pecks and sweet kisses on the cheek, nose, forehead and often enough mouth. But this was the kiss Johan was pining for – a lover’s kiss, something Serafin would offer only to him. Just like that his body was alight with want, a raging desire pushing Johan into taking control of the kiss. Serafin’s eager, sweet tongue met his as the boy pulled him down on their bed, his back pressed into the messy sheets. Johan glided himself on top easily, letting Johan feel his body against his. Johan released Serafin’s mouth in favour of his neck. He kissed down the pale column of his throat, marvelling at the salty, sweet taste of him.

He bit the place where his shoulder and neck met lightly, just enough to leave a faint mark in the spot where he would bite him if he was his mate. Serafin shivered at the gesture – he didn’t have to be Johan’s mate to know that the bite had been as claiming as it had been loving. As Johan’s kisses grew more ferocious, Serafin’s touches became bolder. He found Johan’s ponytail and the red string keeping it together and pulled, releasing his hair over his shoulder. He sank his hand into it – despite being so messy, it was soft, and Serafin smiled against his lips. He pressed his other hand to the king’s cheek, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. It seemed that out of the two of them, it was Johan who was more nervous – he wanted to make it good.

They broke apart for a second, so Johan could undress himself. Serafin didn’t bother hiding his curious, admiring gaze as it slipped down Johan’s sculpted body, down to his member and to his muscular legs – he only got a glimpse before Johan was on top of him again, their bare chests pressed together. The King found the waistband of his trousers and helped Serafin wiggle out of them. As soon as they were off, he grabbed his pale legs and spread them, situating himself smoothly between. Serafin moaned against his mouth at the contact and held onto him tighter as Johan smoothed his hands up and down his milky thighs. Johan kissed him again, falling into a steady rhythm as he adjusted Serafin beneath him, so that he had easy access.

The fingers went in first and Serafin sucked in a hard breath but didn’t say anything. His eyes didn’t glaze over and he didn’t start to mutter crazily, with Johan took as a good sign. He tried to go as slowly as possible, adjusting Serafin as carefully as if he was made of porcelain. When the third finger went in, Johan found Serafin’s aching member and swept his hand down in one steady stroke. Serafin gasped against his mouth and went rigid, only to relax a second later as Johan quickly picked up a steady rhythm. This was nothing like his first time, which had been when he turned sixteen – the girl had been a birthday present from his father and she’d been older, one of Madame Vladana’s girls, and she had been bold while he’d been awfully shy. He barely managed to get it up, that’s how embarrassed he’d been. He’d done it a few times after that – probably not enough as a King, but enough to know what he was doing. Each time both Johan and his partner were driven by lust or sometimes even alcohol.

Tonight Johan was clear-headed and he knew that, despite his burning desire for Serafin, he would find him very easy to love. Even with his morbid god and black eyes the nobles at court described as soul-less and his quiet voice. In fact, he would love him for those eyes and his soft manner of being, and his gentleness and his quiet strength. Already he was surprising Johan by not whimpering and cowering in the corner of the bed while they did the business, but by taking charge and matching Johan’s need with his own.

Once he’d settled in and let Serafin adjust, Johan moved and it was as if all his problems were swept away with each stroke. In – he stopped worrying about Aris, somewhere in the mountains, maybe dead. Out – he didn’t care about Elentina and her hurt pride and her ancient husband. In – all nagging thoughts about Serafin’s mental condition and how he was perceived in the country went out of his head. Out – the threat of war from Moriya and the presence of Ilia at court didn’t even feel like problems anymore. The blissful mist that descended on him was like Serafin himself – gentle, warming, protective. Serafin felt like home, even though he’d only been in Johan’s life for a few weeks. Even if they hadn’t had an instant connection, in that moment Johan easily could have believed they were mates, destined to be with each other, their fates interwoven by the gods at the dawn of time.

The mist steadily built up to a storm that raged inside Johan, spreading pleasure over his body. He groaned, holding Serafin’s hips while the younger boy moaned into his shoulder, his face as red as his hair. In moments when Johan regained full control of his thoughts he worried he was hurting Serafin or that his consort didn’t feel what he felt, but each time, almost as if Serafin knew, he was reassured with passionate kisses, moans and whispers of his name. They finished too quickly, for both of them. They didn’t even bother rolling off each other – they caught their breaths, Johan spreading kisses down Serafin’s body and back up and then they were at it again.

They made love all night and after they lay side by side as the first rays of the sun brightened the horizon. Serafin rolled over onto his side. He looked so different in the grey light of dawn – his hair dishevelled, eyes sharp, a happy smile on his mouth, his naked form spread luxuriously on the furs. The sex had broken some kind of barrier between them, and now neither was embarrassed to be seen by each other. They devoured each other’s bodies with their eyes, fingers and mouths, ‘’now I’m really yours,’’ Serafin whispered. Johan grinned and pulled the naked form of his husband, consort and now lover to his side. Serafin placed a soft hand on his stomach, tracing patterns into the tanned, hard muscle, ‘’my god…’’ he started and Johan made no move to stop him. His god, real or not real, was part of him and Johan wanted to know about her so he’d understand Serafin better, ‘’…she’s always talking to me.  Even when I’m at parties or at dinner or when I’m trying to fall asleep,’’ he smiled softly, ‘’for the first time since I can remember, she’s been quiet. When you held me, she didn’t taunt or speak to me,’’ he glanced up at Johan and now the King spotted something else besides love in his eyes – gratitude, ‘’I never knew silence could be so blissful.’’

*~*~*

The euphoric morning was only the beginning of a good day. After breakfast, when Johan was holding one of his first war councils (of which Johan presumed there would be many) to discuss what to do with Ilia and his country, a Hermes who ran between Darien and Queensbane practically charged into the war chamber. He was closely followed by Ryane, the palace Hermes, and Kaen, who looked determined. The three of them stopped before the King – Ryane and the young boy went on one knee, while Kaen bowed his head respectfully. The councillors, of which one was Rehan, King Odion’s oldest friend and advisor, exchanged looks between themselves as the newcomers rose.

Ryane only had time to say, ‘’this boy bears news-‘’ before she was cut off by the boy himself.

The boy was panting as if he had ran through the whole palace but his face was split with a grin, ‘’they found him, your majesty! A villager in Darien has come forward and pointed out the eastern peak of the Moher mountains as the bandit hide out. He believes that the middle ground, just above the forest, is where they are keeping Prince Aris.’’

Ryane glanced around but she seemed to be the only one wary of the news – Johan practically whooped with joy but forced himself to calm down. Finally, the first good news about Aris in weeks! He turned to his councillors, ‘’our expedition to extract my brother from the bandits has to be carefully planned. We head out as soon as possible, but negotiations will not be held – we will offer the bandits no fear of retribution if they hand Aris over. We can’t risk a war with them when we have Moriya on our hands.’’

‘’Perhaps it is wise to leave Moriya for a while,’’ Rehan said in his firm voice. As always he was dripping with jewels and extravagance, but he spoke wisely, ‘’King Izyan does not yet know about our discontent and thus we have gained valuable time to first sort out the troubles in the kingdom before attacking another. I advise we concentrate on Prince Aris first and for safety we rid ourselves of potential enemies. Like prince Kaen has suggested, we should lock Prince Ilia and his closest servant in the tower, where they can be closely observed. The rest of the entourage that arrived with him should be put in the dungeons, although under reasonable conditions.’’

The councillors nodded amongst themselves, ‘’for safety,’’ they murmured, because even though Ilia was beautiful he still made them wary.

Ecstatic with the news of his brother and itching to tell Serafin of the good news, Johan nodded, ‘’yes, that seems reasonable.’’ He said but the councillors could probably condemn them all to death and Johan would have not paid attention enough to object.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop first smut scene!! Thoughts?


	6. The Emperor of Asakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for all the support - please let me know what you think so far!

The point where Mihai felt the most homesick and lost was on the night of his own wedding. Perhaps he only had himself to blame – all life he’d fantasised about what his life would be, ignoring the facts. That he’d get married to the ruler of a different country, so the tradition and language would be different. That he’d be the outsider coming in, so he’d be isolate, despite being an Omega. That he wouldn’t be practically worshipped by his husband, like he had been by his family. Mihai didn’t want to be worshipped – he’d just wanted his husband to pay attention to him, to at least explain what would happen during the wedding to him. Unfortunately he had to rely on Mohadesh for that – Mohadesh was always around him, a constant reminder of the Harem just outside the palace doors.

‘’You will not speak,’’ Mohadesh said in her cold, firm voice as Mihai stood in front of her, ‘’for three days. The first day of muteness is to symbolise your utter obedience to your husband. The second day; to remind you that you shall not speak unless spoken to. The third – to show you that your voice should be reserved, as your words can make all the difference amongst polite company and should be used with care.’’ This made Mihai feel insignificant – he didn’t mind being the obedient husband, but in Kainan the King’s or Queen’s consort had a say in matters of state, in the war council and in the courts – here, apparently, he’d be a pretty face, admired for his silver hair, and nothing more, ‘’for the three days of your muteness you will remain confined to a single room to teach you humility and simplicity. You will drink the water from the Sacred Temples of the One God and eat minimal food, so your figure is perfect for the wedding night,’’ she lectured and Mihai cringed internally. Another thing that hadn’t penetrated his fantasy – that his husband’s religion was different to his own, ‘’on the day and night of your wedding you will continue not to speak, and will only be able to use your voice again on the morning after, to complete your submission.’’

‘’During your three days of silence you will leave your room only to do one thing – pray. You will be transported under escort to the temple of the One God, where you will pray for an Alpha child that will come quickly, your husband’s health and the ability to please him for the remainder of your wedded life. We have been lenient with you, but after your wedding you must show complete submission to your husband – no more questions and demands. Your silent time will be spent on learning the marriage ritual. Have I been understood?’’ Mihai was tempted to just tilt his head like Mohadesh’s accent was too hard to decipher, so perhaps he wouldn’t have to do all those things, but he’d just nodded, feeling like he’d gone from cherished prince to a toy that is to be used when needed, and expected to disappear when not.

The room he’d been locked in was nothing like his chambers – it was completely bare, with no windows so the only light was provided by the candlelight falling through the cracks in the door. There was one single bamboo mat in the room, with no furs or blankets – bare and hard. It was almost like sleeping on the floor. It was almost like a prison and Mihai wondered what he had done to displease the gods for them to dish out such a fate to him. But, he argued with himself, things would get better. Later even Mohadesh’s nagging wouldn’t be able to do anything, because he’d be Emperor Consort. And he’d slowly and steadily win Shay’s affection, be it through love or a child.

It wasn’t as if the silence was a challenge – Mihai had no one to speak to anyway. There was one servant who brought in the ‘sacred’ water and food consisting of a thin slice of meet and an apple for breakfast. He’d stared at the walls until he thought he’d go mad. He was not taught humility and simplicity or even patience. Around noon Mihai fought the urge to speak with the escort of silent guards that came to bring him to his carriage that took him to the temple. It was small, big enough maybe for one person to pray, with a pair of hands fashioned from marble, protruding from a rough rock wall. ‘The One God doesn’t show his face; he only reveals his hands, which guide us’ Mohadesh had said – because of course she’d come – before leaving him alone. Mihai said a long and lengthy prayer to the First Gods and then, glancing at the strange hands poking from the stone, muttered a quick plea to the One God as well. He didn’t pray for an Alpha child, Shay’s heath or his ability to please him; he just asked that his situation would improve.

The night was worse than the day – with no candlelight, the room was pitch black and Mihai almost wished he could see the walls again so he could stare at them. He couldn’t sleep in the terrifying darkness and, paralysed with fear, he waited until dawn, when the candles were re-lit by the servants. It was almost a blessing, and he spent a few blissful hours sleeping, not waking up when his breakfast came. He was roused only when the escort came to transport him to the temple – he wondered if this was the standard procedure for everyone, and how anyone could bear this just for the sake of marriage. The lack of substantial food, light and sleep was making Mihai woozy and weak. His prayers, to both the First Gods and the One God, were quick and simple, because his brain wasn’t working properly. He was returned to his room where he slept more.

He awoke in the middle of the night and cried because the darkness scared him and he wanted to go home. Summer was fast approaching – he wanted to be in the fields for the Hafwen festival. He wanted to be in the City of Lights. Morning came and offered no relief. Mihai wondered if he should speak – aloud, to himself, just to break this idiotic ritual. But he still clung to the hope that it would get better and maybe this ritual would make it so, so he played with his silver hair, braiding and re-braiding it until the time for prayer came. This prayer was deep and solemn, to all the gods.

When he finally was pulled out of that room, it was no relief – he still couldn’t speak and he found it harder to do so when he was around people, even if they were foreigners. He was still not fed properly and thus was powerless when servants pulled his clothes off him in the bath. They washed his silver hair with awe and gentleness, which couldn’t be said about the way they cleaned his body – it was scrubbed and scented and scrubbed again until it was pink and Mihai felt like he’d been submerged in hot water. Then came the dressing – he had no idea what time it was and no one stopped to eat or drink. Everyone was in a rush; Mihai was passed from hands to hands. Now it was easier not to talk as the servants, all with Shay’s almond-shaped eyes, worked on him with quick, quiet efficiency.

The only voice constantly present was Mohadesh’s. ‘’cranes symbolise fidelity; wearing them on your wedding day will bring you many children,’’ she said as a servant pulled on one of those multi-layered outfits on him. Mihai had worn his own clothing till then, but he knew that was about to change. Mohadesh touched a gold-stitched crane, one of the many running along the top layer of the outfit, before walking to his chest of clothes and ordering servants to carry it out. He’d likely never see his clothes, the last reminder of home, again but he was too weak and hungry to fight Mohadesh’s strong presence. He let the hand-maidens finish dressing him, pulling his feet into wooden sandals and pulling golden and silver tinkling jewels on his hands and ankles, ‘’the sound wards off evil spirits,’’ Mohadesh said. His hair was brushed and left out, falling a little past his shoulders. He didn’t like to have it out because the strands blew onto his face but, once again, he had no energy to fight the servants – besides, it wasn’t as if he could _tell_ them to braid it.

After he was dressed and re-dressed, he was paraded through the whole palace like some prize. It took the whole parade of servants, with Mohadesh at the front, three times as long to reach the courtyard. Again, Mihai felt belittled. He’d been prettied up and yet none of the ever-present guards lining the halls even looked in his direction, like he as insignificant. When he was finally packed into a litter which was promptly lifted and carried off, he was glad. He quickly drew the curtains and took a shaky breath. The tears fell almost by themselves, and Mihai fought back sobs, dabbing at his eyes with his wide sleeves. It was so unearthly quiet that he was sure the guards carrying his litter could hear his pathetic sniffling. He composed himself as quickly as he could, which was good since it took them a short while to reach the Sacred Temple.

When he entered and glanced to where Shay was kneeling on an embroided pillow by the altar, decked out in his finest clothing, he felt nothing. He was so hungry and tired and disappointed with what his life had become that he couldn’t even bring himself to smile. Mohadesh didn’t enter the Temple and the guards, after escorting him in, left him alone to kneel on the pillow opposite Shay. The only person in the Temple was the high priest, who read out passage after passage in Asakurian. Mihai was as angry with Mohadesh as he was with Shay for letting this all happen and not even offering him a little comfort. He kept his hands folded on his lap primly as he’d been taught, his eyes on the white-stone floor. He did not look up once. After a while his knees began aching, his back hurting and his eyes watering. It was his wedding and all he could think about was how wonderful it would be when it was finally over.

The final part of the ceremony and the part that actually tied Mihai and Shay as husbands was public and that was worse. Straight from the temple Mihai was transported to a carriage where he sat by himself, Shay presumably in a different carriage, as they rattled on. They must have ridden for maybe two hours and Mihai, hungry and tired, felt miserable. He’d been dozing off when he was roused by Mohadesh – the carriage had stopped. And when he stepped out, he was greeted with wild cheers. After weeks in the silent palace the noise was deafening and Mihai cringed away from it. He saw Shay getting out of a second carriage and then he was being ushered onto a raised dais that was erected in front of a stretch of people. The crowd was wild – they roared and stretched as far as the eye could see. Mihai glanced away from them, seeking solace from Shay as they came to a stop opposite each other but Shay was turned towards his people, smiling, his hand raised. They cheered for him – their King and their Alpha.

Another high priest brought forward two golden chalices, tied with red string – red was the colour of joy and love and the gold a sign of fidelity. Inside swam wine and honey, blessed by the high priest. Finally Shay turned to Mihai and held his chalice cupped in both elegant hands. Mihai half heartedly lifted his own to his lips with one hand and drank. He downed the contents, hungry and thirsty after the ceremony and the ride and when he finished the cheers ended. The silence was almost a blessing. Row by row the crowd went down on their knees and Mihai realised that there would be no coronation – his marriage to Shay marked him as the Emperor Consort straight away. Shay didn’t turn to Mihai; he raised his hand to his people once more as if Mihai didn’t exist.

There was no banquet.

*~*~*

There was a separate chamber for their wedding night and Mihai was glad. Whatever happened tonight, he didn’t want it happening in his own room, which was far from being a sanctuary, but was still his. He was led in first by Mohadesh who, for the first time, remained silent. She positioned him on the mat so he was kneeling on the lush furs and blankets and facing the entrance from where Shay emerged, only moments after Mohadesh disappeared. Mihai smiled at him weakly – he was so hungry he was ready to faint, but he told himself that this was the last thing he needed to do. _Just push_ he thought. He fought to keep his lips steady instead of wobbling when Shay approached him, a gentle smile on his face. Mihai didn’t say anything, mostly because he wasn’t supposed to, as Shay slowly but efficiently undid the many straps and ties on his outfit, revealing Mihai’s pale body and gently sloping shoulders. Shay took his clothes off quickly, too. He was thin but elegant and beautiful with his dark hair swept over one shoulder.

Mihai was gathering the energy and confidence to reach for him, or at least look down at his manhood, when Shay’s fingers closed around his arm and he was yanked around, his back pressed against Shay’s chest. He exhaled but before he could think he found himself bent over on their wedding bed, barely balanced on his forearms as Shay hovered above him for a second and then pushed himself inside. Mihai’s scream of pain was muffled by the pillow pressed against his mouth. The shudder that racked his body at the sudden, unwanted intrusion must have seemed like a shiver of pleasure to Shay because he continued to push himself into Mihai until the Omega couldn’t take it.

‘’Stop!’’ he yelled into his pillow and Shay froze, not because of what Mihai said but because he wasn’t meant to speak. Tears of shock and fear were rolling down Mihai’s face as he shoved himself away from Shay, curling around himself protectively, pressed against the wall, ‘’stop…’’ he whispered feebly. There were a few moments of long, tense silence and then Shay threw a fur over Mihai’s trembling body, tucking it around him almost apologetically and left the chamber. He didn’t come back and Mihai didn’t sleep. He threw up a few times, from lack of food and terror as his whole fantasy of a perfect life came crashing down around him, even the pieces he’d been desperately clinging onto.

In the morning Mohadesh came and she didn’t say anything except ‘’you broke your silence and displeased the Emperor’’ in an almost angry tone. But Mihai knew that wasn’t true – his words hadn’t angered Shay. If something it should be Mihai who was angry but he was too tired and he felt sick to his stomach. Servants brought food regularly over the next two days that Mihai spent holed up in that bedroom, the few drops of blood Shayan had elicited from him sinking deeper and deeper into the covers. Mihai threw up every bit of food in the first day and, even though his vomit was cleaned up, the room still stank. Still Mihai did not leave it. Once he had asked Mohadesh where Shay had gone that night after he left Mihai alone, ‘’to the Harem, of course. If you cannot please him, someone else will. Always remember that,’’ she’d said coldly.

On the third day of Mihai’s isolation someone else came in. Mihai recognised the woman immediately as not as servant but royalty. Her outfit consisted of many layers, as did all outfits around here, and her black hair was pulled up in a complicated patterns. Dozens of golden pins and ruby-centered head pieces adorned the hair. She didn’t introduce herself but it wasn’t hard to tell that she was related to Shay in some way – she had his elegance and height. Mihai expected another lecture but instead the woman knelt down by his mat, her sleeves touching so he could not see her hands, ‘’Mihai,’’ she whispered as if they were life-long friends, ‘’you cannot stay here,’’ her voice was firm but gentle, as if she was trying to coax a child into doing something, and her Kai perfect, as if she didn’t live in Asakura at all, ‘’if you want the Emperor’s affection, _take it_. If you want to be the only one he looks at, make sure that next to you no one else is worth looking at. If you want to rule alongside him, show him your strength. But don’t stay here like the pathetic, submissive Omega they think you are. If you don’t like the way your life is, _change it_.’’ And then she was gone as if she hadn’t been there in the first place.

Mihai didn’t throw up the next meal that came.

*~*~*

‘’Hi, Silver. I’m Sylver.’’

Aris looked up from where he was sulking in the corner of his prison. For once it wasn’t Bane standing in the doorway but a tall, broad shouldered man with a wickedly scarred face. His hair was grey with age, but he was not an Omega. Two curved blades hung at his sides. Aris stubbornly stared at the opposite wall. Sylver sighed and smiled, ‘’the boss wants you out of here. He reckons you won’t try runnin’ again, seeing as there’s nowhere to run to,’’ he laughed loudly, as if Aris’ escape was some kind of joke. He entered the room and prodded Aris with his foot, ‘’come on, you have two options – you walk out of that door and meet the rest of the crew or you stay here till you rot.’’ Sylver shrugged, as if he didn’t care either way, but he extended his hand down to where Aris was sitting anyway, ‘’you’ll get a new room, too. Come on, what do you say?’’

Aris kissed his teeth and slapped his hand away, getting onto his feet and storming out of the doors. He was checking if Sylver would stop him and throw him back into the cell – he didn’t. A wild thrill that came with being free sang through Aris’ veins as he practically ran down the corridors. They were undoubtedly inside the mountains – the walls and ceilings were ragged caverns – they were breezy, which meant there were cave openings somewhere. Aris just had to find them. There were dozens of metal doors, probably keeping out the chill, with openings at the bottom to let in the oxygen that circulated around the tunnels from the cavern mouths. Aris came upon one within minutes. He charged to it, marvelling at the sky above him for a second, before he inhaled and came to a sharp halt – like the cave mouth outside his prison, this one also ended in a sharp drop. He looked to his left, where the caves ran along the mountain, disappearing into fog – apparently all of them ended in a drop. From this side of the mountain, they were invisible – the perfect hideout.

‘’I wouldn’t go that way, although that’s pretty obvious,’’ a voice said and Aris whirled around to find a boy around his age perched on a small plate erupting from the side of the mountain next to the cave. He was eating an apple casually, as if his feet weren’t dangling over the chasm. He, too, was equipped with a curved blade, ‘’if you want to run, you need to go east, towards Belladonna,’’ he pointed with his free hand, ‘’you could jump, because that’s the quickest way, but you’ll most likely wind up dead. So I’d advise trying the other side of the mountain – it’s longer but the fall is less steep,’’ he flashed a stunned Aris a grin, ‘’you might just make it,’’ he spoke like a royal but his attire told Aris he’d long since abandoned his station.

‘’Wiss, would you cut it out?’’ a young man appeared at the cavern door. He had spiky black hair and a gold earring in one ear – the trademark of the pirates. A side-switcher? Wiss bit into the apple loudly as the man turned to Aris, ‘’I’ve come to fetch you both for chow.’’ He grinned a wolfish grin at Aris, ‘’I’m Dieu.’’

Wiss tossed his half finished apple and watched it fall into the chasm. His curly light-brown hair fell over his brow as he glanced at Aris, eyes bored, ‘’I don’t wanna go to dinner with you, Dieu. I wanna go with Silver here.’’ He jumped down but before he could reach Aris, Dieu scooped him up and kissed him fiercely, right on the mouth. Aris took a staggering step back, appalled and surprised, but it was as if he’d disappeared. Wiss wound his legs around Dieu’s hips and kissed him back with as much fire, his fingers looped around the three-stone necklace around his neck that Aris had spotted on the necks of every bandit he’d met so far. They were standing on the edge of the mountain, about to fall to their deaths and all they could think about was each other. Feeling something he didn’t like spark in his stomach, Aris turned and ran back into the mountain.

He decided to try the other side of the mountain, like Wiss had advised. He made maybe a dozen steps when he felt an arm loop around each of his elbows. ‘’Hi!’’ a happy face of a blond kid with spiky hair popped into his vision on his left, ‘’I’m Mido!’’ before he could react another face popped in on his right – this man was slightly older and had a long black ponytail thrown over one shoulder, ‘’and I’m Rai! We’re here to escort you to dinner!’’

Aris would have fought them off had it not been for the fact that they literally turned around, opened the doors they were facing and tossed Aris inside – he really had shitty luck. He’d been right opposite the dining hall. He noticed Bane first because he barrelled straight into him. Bane caught him easily and steadied him on his feet, scowling at the two culprits, ‘’Rai, Mido, gentler, ey? Or you’ll get a beating that will be equally violent.’’

The two grinned, like they really didn’t believe him and walked to the end of the room, to the fire where a large pot of stew of some sort was bubbling. Aris yanked his arms out of Bane’s grip and glared at him, while Bane grinned at him, ‘’it’s nice to see you out and about, Silver.’’

Aris swore at him and stalked off, deeper into the hall. There were dozens of bandits cluttered about – this was probably the biggest cavern in the whole mountain. There were three long stone tables, with both male and female bandits sitting on the rock benches. Some sat on the tables and all held stone bowls of stew, scooping it up messily with bread and laughing loudly, mouths full. Aris spotted a few flashed of telltale-Omega silver here and there. Roshni was by the fire, dealing out food from the pot. Aris didn’t want to be here with these criminals but back-tracking meant bumping right into Bane and he didn’t know what he wanted less.

Bane made the choice for him. He took hold of his wrist and pulled him towards the pot where Roshni gave them heavy scoops of meat and sauce, smiling at Aris welcomingly. Mayflower, who had been standing next to her and whom Aris hadn’t noticed, tossed her brother a chunk of bread, ‘’clean your bowl afterwards,’’ she said in a bored tone.

Bane grinned at her, ‘’I think it’s your job for today, May.’’

May swore at him and he laughed, pulling Aris to one of the empty seats. Bandits nodded at him as he passed and he nodded back but it wasn’t a big deal – the atmosphere was almost…homey. Bane yanked Aris down and as soon as his butt fell onto the rock Sylver slid in next to him.

‘’I see you’ve found your way out by yourself,’’ he said, grinning and clapping him in the back.

The bandits fell quiet, as if someone had clicked their fingers. The air became thick with tension and Aris glanced at Bane uncertainly. The Alpha was glaring at the older man, viciously. Sylver laughed in the silence, putting his hands up in surrender, ‘’I’m just tryin’ to be friendly with the new kid, boss.’’

‘’Try being friendly with a different new kid,’’ Bane growled through clenched teeth.

‘’It’s okay, why don’t we calm down. You don’t mind, do you, Silver?’’ Sylver asked Aris directly and in seconds Bane had jumped over the bench and was covering Aris with his large body.

‘’Don’t talk to him,’’ he growled.

Aris scowled and got up, leaving his food behind, ‘’gods, you’re like children fighting over a toy,’’ he said coldly, his voice echoing in the room, ‘’but, as you constantly fail to realise, I’m not a toy. And I’m done entertaining you,’’ then he marched out of the mess hall and down the corridor to his cell. He closed the doors but since they weren’t locked the room didn’t feel like a prison anymore.


	7. The Prince of Moriya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thank you so much for all the support, it's so lovely to see all the comments and kudos and stuff <3  
> Watch out, this chappie is kind-of rapey, but it'll all turn out good in the end ;)  
> Or will it?

‘’No, you’re not listening. You _can’t_ go to war with Moriya.’’

This, strangely enough, came from Kaen. His reasons for wanting to stop Johan declaring a war on Moriya were selfish – he tried to convince himself that it was because he cared about the well being of his country, but he was primarily driven by distaste for Ilia. He’d wanted to go to war with Moriya as soon as he’d been duped by its king, but now that he found out that Ilia actually wanted the war, for whatever warped reason, he would stop it, no matter what. Johan sighed. In the weeks after his coronation he seemed to age ten years, ‘’can you make up your mind? Last time we spoke you didn’t care if this sparked a war.’’

Kaen gritted his teeth. He hadn’t seen Ilia for days – in fact, he hadn’t seen anyone from his Moriyan entourage. True to his word, Johan had locked Yeshel and Ilia in the tower and the rest of the Moriyans in the dungeon, concentrating on assembling a party of the best warriors to retrieve Aris. But even when he was locked up, Ilia pissed Kaen off, ‘’yes, and now I’m telling you we can’t.’’ Kaen couldn’t well say that he didn’t want the war to spite Ilia, ‘’we need to concentrate on getting Aris back. Mihai and Elentina had just been married, and we’re allies with Sahr and Asakura, but it would be unwise to drag them into war straight away. It might cause resentment for Mihai and Elen in the foreign kingdoms. We don’t want that, do we? I’ve decided I’ll…’’ he barely managed to get the words out, ‘’deal with Ilia myself. You don’t have to concern yourself. You should instead seek a proper alliance with Moriya.’’

Johan looked up at him, surprised, and through his fatigue didn’t notice that Kaen was blatantly lying, ‘’I see I’m not the only one who’s changed,’’ he said with a grateful smile, ‘’but even when we accept Ilia, Moriya has still slighted us. We must solve this matter, and I hope it won’t end with war.’’

Kaen nodded, trying to convince himself that even if he hadn’t pushed the idea, war would be inevitable. The thought of seeing Ilia’s glowering face at the news of a war declaration made Kaen sick – he would be a prisoner of war, could be treated worse than the lowest of slaves, and still he wouldn’t care. He wondered briefly how much he must hate his brother to want to start war with him.

*~*~*

‘’So…’’ Ilia had discarded the Kai clothing in favour of his own Moriyan garments, even though they were too colourful and too flimsy for Kai springs, and now he spoke Moriyan too, ‘’…that arrogant princeling has convinced the King to seek a treaty with Izyan instead,’’ Ilia sighed, pacing the length of the small tower. He couldn’t complain – his room was a ballroom compared to Yeshel’s servant quarters. Ilia didn’t like heights so he tried not to look out of the window-less window onto the palace courtyard far below, but now he turned to the window, and the brown-skinned boy balancing himself on the ledge, ‘’perhaps I shouldn’t have told him I wanted the war. But his arrogant face just made me want to…’’ Ilia groaned and dumped himself on the small but plush bed in the corner. He was off pretty well, for a prisoner, ‘’I just want him out of the way, Cyr.’’

Cyr, the boy on the ledge, sat more comfortably on the edge. He was short, but deadly, and he answered in Moriyan also, ‘’I can see why,’’ he said, his voice muffled by the black piece of cloth covering his mouth. He was covered head to toe, with a long shawl draped over his head, the sort that Yeshel wore, except his covered his head completely so that only his light brown eyes were visible, ‘’don’t worry, your majesty. You’ll be home soon enough.’’

‘’I hope so,’’ Ilia rubbed his arms, sitting up, ‘’it’s too cold here for me. And I despite being treated like a child just because I am seventeen years old and he is twenty three.’’

‘’It always comes back to prince Kaen, doesn’t it?’’ Yeshel came in, sighing. She was sharpening her twin axes with one of the Moriyan rocks she had brought with her. During the day she kept them hidden in her flowing, lose robes. She wasn’t really Ilia’s servant – she was his body guard. ‘’I believe we should continue with the plan, like the King desires.’’

Ilia nodded, ‘’I agree. Cyr?’’

The boy nodded, re-adjusting his head scarf, ‘’the King and his whore will be dead within the next months. The second prince will follow next. I will see to it.’’

Ilia smirked, ‘’good. Oh, and don’t let the others distract you. I know they’re skulking around the palace but no matter what their missions are, getting rid of House Hyndestane is your priority.’’

Cyr kissed his teeth, ‘’you don’t have to tell me,’’ he said and jumped. Ilia wished he had his courage or his skill so that he could climb down the tower safely – but, instead, he had charm. He stretched, ‘’I don’t know about you, but I’m bored of this tower already.’’

Yeshel sighed and rubbed her face, ‘’do you realise that it won’t be this easy? They’re not the only Hyndestanes. And the king’s sister and two brothers are out there.’’

Ilia shrugged, ‘’the youngest one is as good as dead, and the others will be taken care of,’’ he grinned, ‘’cheer up, Yeshel. I’m going to be king! Come on, let’s get out of here.’’

‘’I’ll follow you in whatever decision you make,’’ Yeshel said suddenly, stopping Ilia and killing his happy mood. He turned around, raising his eyebrows in question. Yeshel adjusted her scarf, smiling gently, ‘’but I’d rather not do anything stupid. Like get us both killed, your majesty.’’

*~*~*

Kaen walked into his bedchamber and froze. His good mood, following Johan’s announcement that Rehan would go as ambassador to Moriya to try and negotiate a treaty, meaning the war wouldn’t happen, or would at least be post-phoned, turned sour in seconds. ‘’What,’’ he hissed through his teeth, ‘’are you doing here?’’

Ilia batted his dark eyelashes innocently, ‘’I’ve come to visit my husband~’’

Kaen stormed up to Ilia and yanked him off his bed by his wrist, then stopped and looked him up and down with disgust, ‘’what in the gods are you wearing?’’ he demanded, although it was hard to keep the disgust in his voice. Ilia was wearing Moriyan clothes and he looked good in them; a tightly fitting red and gold vest, showing off his long, brown arms, a golden choker that made him look more elegant and rubies on gold strings woven through his hair. He looked beautiful and other-worldly, not at all like a seventeen year old.

He spun out of Kaen’s grip, doing a little twirl, ‘’I dressed up for you. Do you like it?’’ before Kaen could find his voice, Ilia skipped up to him and grabbed the front of his tunic, pressing their lips together. Kaen’s hand shot out and grabbed him by his throat, just above the choker, slamming him against one of the bedposts so hard the whole bed rattled. But Ilia didn’t even flinch.

‘’Don’t mock me,’’ Kaen ground out, ‘’put something decent on, and get back in that tower.’’

Ilia pouted, his full lips protruding, ‘’the tower is boring,’’ he whined and then smirked, pulling his vest up a little to expose his smooth stomach, ‘’I thought I could have some fun with my husband,’’ and then, in a condescending tone, ‘’or do you only fuck Omegas?’’

In the next second Ilia was sailing through the air and in the one after that he landed on the floor, not the bed. Before he could get up, Kaen slammed him back into the floor, ‘’I only lower myself to fuck scum like you to teach them a lesson,’’ he hissed in Ilia’s ear before grabbing his vest and practically ripping it off his body. Being made of flimsy material, it went easily under Kaen’s strong grip. Grabbing his forearm, Kaen twisted him around violently and pulled down his trousers. He wasn’t hard, not even close, but he still pressed himself against Ilia’s lips. To his surprise the boy opened his mouth willingly. He brushed his lips against the head, sending a spike of pleasure up Kaen’s spine. Within seconds he was reacting to Ilia’s lips, his member jerking to life. Expertly, Ilia manoeuvred his tongue, knowing exactly where to touch. Kaen smirked, ‘’gods, you’ve done this before. Isn’t this fantastic? Not only do I get a Beta instead of an Omega, but I get a whoring one as well.’’ He said with distaste.

Ilia pulled back violently with a wet pop, ‘’I’ve never-‘’

Not interested in hearing his explanations, Kaen grabbed a fist-full of his soft black curls and yanked him harshly onto his member, going nearly all the way in. Ilia gagged, pressing his hands to Kaen’s knees to brace himself, his eyes squeezed tightly. Kaen sighed, ‘’come on, you were so eager before. What happened?’’ when Ilia still didn’t move, he jerked his head up and down a few times. Every time the head hit the back of Ilia’s throat, Kaen gritted his teeth. With his dark colouring Kaen didn’t know if Ilia was blushing but soon enough Kaen loosened his grip as Ilia begun moving himself, the short braid between his curls slapping his cheek as his head bobbed up and down in a steady rhythm, his cheeks hollowed out as he sucked.

Kaen almost felt bad for him. He wasn’t a man who was easy to please, but Ilia was doing a decent job. Kaen found himself finishing in record time – usually it took fifteen minutes, maybe more. Ilia managed to do it in ten. Kaen grunted and finished. Ilia jerked back, swallowing some. He coughed, wiping the corner of his mouth, but Kaen wasn’t finished. He grabbed his arm again and flipped him back around, pulling down his trousers to expose his ass. His desire to humiliate Ilia was taken over for a second by actual desire when he saw his perfect, nut-brown ass in front of him. But then he heard Ilia chuckle, ‘’what’s that, old man? Spent, that fast?’’

Kaen shoved him down onto the floor, twisting one arm around to hold behind his back painfully, so he only had one arm to balance on, ‘’don’t get cocky.’’ He smirked when he saw Ilia’s whole body flinch when he hit the floor, hard, ‘’gods, that must be uncomfortable. Unfortunately,’’ he pressed the wet tip of his member against Ilia’s hole. He didn’t think to prepare him, ‘’I don’t bring whores into my bed.’’

Ilia glanced over his shoulder, his eyes glaring but his mouth twisted in a smirk, ‘’don’t worry. This _whore_ wouldn’t want to grace your bed in a million years.’’

Kaen shoved himself forward, sinking into Ilia. The boy’s whole body tensed up but he did not cry out. Kaen gave a few violent thrusts, wanting to hurt Ilia for humiliating him, for making him care and protect him after seeing him once, for looking like an idiot to the whole court, who no doubt laughed about his situation behind his back. He wanted to take out his frustration on having his siblings gone, his worry about Aris, his anger at how quickly his world tumbled after the death of his father, on someone. And Ilia was the perfect candidate. He deserved it.

Ilia’s body trembled under Kaen’s strong grip. As Kaen sunk deeper, the pleasure and heat of being in someone overcame him. He forgot he was on the floor, taking his husband for the first time, didn’t feel the hard wood under his knees, didn’t hear the few whimpers Ilia let loose, didn’t see his forehead pressed against the floor, dark curls falling against tightly closed eyes. He thrust in and out violently, letting himself forget everything. It felt like seconds before he finished in Ilia, but in fact must have been an agonizing quarter of an hour for Ilia. When the white haze cleared from Kaen’s vision, he glanced down. Ilia was half unconscious, breathing raggedly. His fingertips were bloody from where he’d clung to the floorboards. When Kaen withdrew, his member was covered in a thin coat of blood.

A strange guilt settled in him as he pulled out fully and yanked his pants back on, leaning against his bed. Ilia’s ragged breathing, which moved his whole body, steadily calmed down. He made no effort to get up. He was going to fall asleep right there, with his pants pulled down to his knees, his fingers bleeding, on the floor of the person he hated most. Kaen nudged him with his toe. Ilia didn’t move. ‘’Satisfied?’’ Kaen snapped, even though he knew Ilia wasn’t. He hadn’t even gotten an erection from the pain. Kaen vaguely thought that he should have been gentler, despite everything, ‘’you’ve finally consummated the marriage with your husband. Congratulations,’’ he didn’t know how to soften his voice, how to apologise. He still hated Ilia for being such a venomous snake, but he was still a child.

Kaen crawled over to Ilia and pulled his limp body to a sitting position between his legs, pulling up his pants. Ilia’s eyes were closed, his dark lashes casting shadows on his cheekbones. He had a sweet, round face when he wasn’t smirking. Kaen lifted him up easily and dumped him on his bed. He turned and picked up the ripped remains of Ilia’s vest. When he turned back to the bed, Ilia was watching him with half-closed, half-conscious eyes, his lips parted. His eyes were just slivers of gold in the setting sun. Before he could talk himself out of it, Kaen picked up one of the furs and carelessly threw it over Ilia’s half-naked body, ‘’get out of here when you wake up. And tell the servants to change the furs once you finish bleeding all over them.’’

He left before Ilia could reply, not sure if he was even able to. Outside he grabbed the first servant he found, a young girl distributing laundry, ‘’send a physician to my bedchambers,’’ he said, tossing the vest on top of her pile of linens, ‘’and mend this…or something.’’

*~*~*

A cool breeze kissing his face woke Johan up. He cracked his eyes open. It was dark. The sun wasn’t anywhere close to rising, the moon high in the sky. The doors to his balcony were open and the space next to him where Serafin slept was empty. Panic spiking in his veins, Johan jumped out of the bed but before he could run out onto the balcony, he spotted his husband. Serafin was leaning against the rail, looking up at the moon, as naked as the day he was born. Johan forgot how to breathe. The moonlight illuminated off Serafin’s smooth, white-as-marble skin, making him look like some silver-skinned deity. His red hair was shimmering, his back arched and elegant, and below…

Johan swallowed thickly before stepping out into the cool night spring air and slipping his large hands around Serafin, his palms coming to massage his stomach. He kissed his shoulder and when Serafin turned, he was smiling gently, his protruding cheekbones flushed a pretty pink, ‘’what are you doing naked on my balcony?’’ Johan hummed against his skin, ‘’trying to seduce me?’’ he kissed his shoulder again and glanced up at Serafin, who turned around fully.

‘’I don’t need to undress to do that,’’ he murmured, kissing the hint of stubble on Johan’s chin. He then rubbed his forehead against his collarbone, like a cat, ‘’I was just hot…and the moon was pretty…’’

‘’I think you’re prettier,’’ Johan whispered against his hair, his hands sliding down his pale back. His hand hovered just above the object of desire, ‘’do you…want to?’’

‘’Of course,’’ Serafin whispered, kissing Johan’s jaw. He found the strings of Johan’s tunic and undid them with quick fingers, slipping it off his shoulders.

‘’Here?’’ Johan grinned, nuzzling his nose against his neck.

‘’It’s too hot inside,’’ Serafin laughed quietly, ‘’and it’s only going to get hotter.’’

‘’Mmmh…’’ Johan kissed his jaw and then his ear, but when he turned back to face him, Serafin wasn’t looking at him. He was looking over his shoulder. Without meaning to, Johan turned around, but there was no-one in the point where Serafin was staring. Johan turned back to Serafin, who was still staring, eyes unmoving, lips parted. He tilted his head in his direction with his finger and slid their lips together. Half-way through the kiss he felt Johan come back with a jerk and kiss him back, briefly, weakly.

When they parted, Serafin gulped down air, ‘’I…I’m sorry…’’ he said, staring down. His naked form shivered.

‘’It’s okay. Tell her you’re busy,’’ Johan said, kissing his head.

‘’I don’t want to talk to her,’’ Serafin whispered in a broken voice, ‘’I want to talk to you. I want you. Only you.’’

Johan felt his heart flutter at Serafin’s words and he kissed him for a long time, holding his tightly in the secure circle of his arms, ‘’you have me,’’ he assured, kissing his nose, his cheek, his forehead and his lips again. Finally, when Serafin really started shivering he rubbed his arms, ‘’do you want to go back inside?’’ But Serafin shook his head, so Johan went inside and brought back a fur. They sat on the balcony, wrapped in it, keeping each other warm. They looked nothing like two kings, but Johan didn’t care. He  draped an arm over Serafin’s shoulders and Serafin settled his head against his collarbone. Johan stroked his shoulder thoughtfully, ‘’Serafin…’’ he began, quietly, ‘’since when…has she been talking to you?’’

‘’I…’’ Serafin fidgeted with his fingers, ‘’since I became Crown Prince.’’ Johan still had no idea how he’d missed everything that had been happening in Salar. He still didn’t know. He could have asked anyone, but he wanted to know from Serafin, without the rumours and opinions, ‘’when I was eight. When my parents died. And my sister.’’ Johan tried not to react to what he was finding out.  He didn’t speak and Serafin paused for minutes at a time. It made Johan wonder if he’d finished his story, but he always continued, ‘’we went to a house in the countryside in the summer, because it had been hot. Really hot. I was fourteen years old.’’ That was when Serafin’s final letter had come, ‘’I woke up in the middle of the night and she was there. She told me I was in danger so I…I left my sleeping parents and my sister, who was meant to be queen…I sat in the forest all night, by the river and it was nice, because it was so cool. And I wasn’t scared of the dark, because she was with me and she told me I was safe.’’

‘’In the morning she said it was safe to go back so I went back and…’’ Serafin seemed to be drifting away again, his eyes returning to one spot over and over, as if he was looking at his goddess. Johan tilted his face back towards him, brushing his lips against his as encouragement. When he pulled back, Serafin’s eyes were filled with tears. He cupped Johan’s face, brushing their noses together and spoke so quietly Johan strained to heard him, ‘’…and I found my parents and my sister…in their beds…and all the servants in the corridors…their blood was the colour of my hair and I couldn’t take it…when uncle Talios came, he found the household dead and me, talking to her, in the gardens. He took me home but his hair was the same as mine, the colour of blood…I wouldn’t talk to anyone but her for weeks and…and that’s when they begun calling me mad.’’

‘’She warned me next last year. She said I was in danger. I didn’t know from who, but I told my uncle I wanted to leave. So he arranged our marriage and…’’ he kissed Johan, curling up in his arms, ‘’…and I’m so happy he did. I don’t want to rule Salar. I don’t want to rule Kainan either. I just want to be with you because then I know I’m safe, even if she doesn’t tell me.’’

Johan brushed his red hair behind his ear, ‘’yes. You’re safe,’’ he promised, looking up at the stars. As Serafin fell asleep again him, he processed what Serafin had told him. That kind of thing would make anyone go mad.


	8. The Name of Silver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG guys thank you so much for your support <3  
> Please enjoy this chapter!

Bane had challenged him and Aris had accepted. He was full of nervous energy. He didn’t know what to expect. He’d been allowed relative freedom in the Bandit hide-out but he was never alone; wherever he went, Wiss seemed to be sitting there, eating his apples, or Dieu was casually sharpening one of his many weapons or Mayflower was dozing off against the wall. But she was never quite asleep. He’d lost count how many times Roshni had ‘accidentally’ bumped into him and pulled him into a one-sided conversation, or how often he’d had to endure Merina’s suspicious glare from across the dining hall or how many times Sylver had tried to make friends with him. He grew weary of Mido, who kept trying to drag him into dangerous activities like scaling the mountain on the side of the drop, and Rai who seemed to follow him around like a shadow. And most of all, he despised Bane, who was always with him when he had a spare moment. It had been long – too long – since Aris had spent time in relatively good company.

He finally managed to catch a moment of peace, sitting on the ledge outside his prison-turned-room, his legs dangling over the drop. He’d gotten used to living on the edge of the world and sitting in such a dangerous, wind-ripping place made him feel a little invincible. He missed the thrill of court life – here nothing seemed to happen. They were in a bandit hide-out but there were no raids and no attacks from pirates, whom the bandits had a war with for centuries now. It was almost like everyone was under the orders from Bane to make Aris feel welcome and accepted, to make him want to stay. Except Merina – she probably wanted nothing more than to stab him.

Aris had managed to breathe the wonderful smell of mountain air and silence when Bane plopped down next to him. For a guy his size, he moved surprisingly quietly. Aris fought back a groan, instead purposely ignoring the man. Bane didn’t seem to mind. He kicked his legs in the air, like a child, and closed his eyes against the breeze, smiling. His dimple appeared in his tanned cheek and Aris glanced away. Finally, Bane spoke, ‘’do you like the mountains?’’

It caught Aris off guard. Bane was always trying to lecture him on becoming friends, at least, and about what it meant to be mates and about how Aris should try to open up to him, and that he wasn’t a prisoner and that all Bane wanted was blah, blah, blah…he rarely asked trivial questions like this. Aris shrugged before he could remind himself that he was meant to be ignoring Bane, ‘’I suppose,’’ he grunted.

Bane glanced at him sideways. In the setting sun, his eyes seemed more hazel than brown, ‘’aren’t you tired of getting called ‘Silver’?’’ when Aris didn’t reply, Bane grew impatient. He could pretend he was a patient, gentle soul all he wanted but in the end he was a bandit, and bandits were brutes, ‘’just tell me your name, at least. You barely talk to me. Mates should-‘’ Aris cut him off by getting up to leave. He was just about finished with listening to Bane go on and on about what they should be. Bane got up too, and grabbed his wrist to stop him from running off, ‘’hey!’’

Aris gave a pre-longed sight that used to drive Kaen crazy, like he had all the problems in the world and he didn’t have time to deal with Bane, before slowly looking in his direction and speaking like one would to a child, ‘’I’m a prince. You’re a filthy criminal. Do you understand where I’m going with this?’’

Bane didn’t even bat an eyelash at the insult, ‘’I just want your name.’’

‘’And I just want my freedom. You should have paid attention to your tutor, then you’d know what the royal family of your country are called,’’ Aris spat, yanking his wrist out of Bane’s grip. His grip had been almost painfully hot and, as always when Bane touched him, Aris felt weird; like he wasn’t himself.

‘’I didn’t have a tutor,’’ Bane danced around him so he was between Aris and the entrance to the mountain, ‘’and…’’ he sighed, ‘’look, we’re kind of like our own kingdom, here. Between the pirates and the raids, I’ve never bothered to learn about the royal family. But I’m trying now.’’ Aris stared at him for a moment, shook his head and walked off. He would have kept walking, but then Bane said something that Aris couldn’t tolerate, ‘’gods, Silver, and here I was, thinking you weren’t a weak, little, conceited Omega. Guess I was wrong.’’

Aris whipped around and stormed back to Bane, shoving him hard, ‘’I’m terribly sorry you have such a terrible opinion of me,’’ he hissed, ‘’but there is one thing I’m not, and that’s ‘weak’. I could take you on right now.’’

Bane grinned, and something dark flashed in his eyes, ‘’really? Prove it. Tonight, we’ll fight. If I win, I get your name.’’

Aris jumped on the opportunity in a second, ‘’if I win, I get my freedom.’’

‘’Your freedom or your name? Hardly a comparison,’’ Bane snorted, ‘’come on, be fair.’’

Aris gritted his teeth but he had a back-up plan; if freedom wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter, he’d fight for it, ‘’I want a weapon.’’

Bane raised his eyebrows, ‘’a weapon…’’ he smirked, ‘’interesting. Fine. It’s a deal.’’ He extended his hand and Aris grasped it, the first voluntary touch he offered to the Bandit King.

*~*~*

‘’This isn’t going to end well!’’ Wiss called gleefully, biting into his apple. It turned out that the bandits also had a fighting ring, deep within the mountains. It was a room of unpolished rock, as dangerous as the contestants. Aris was standing in the pit opposite Bane – he’d rid himself of his skull-tipped sword and his shirt. Aris, too, was shirt-less, and even though he was well muscled, he was dwarfed by Bane’s form. The few bandits that seemed to hang to Aris like monkeys – Bane’s inner circle – were gathered on the wooden porches surrounding the cavern. Dieu, who seemed to have no idea what ‘in private’ meant was working his mouth against Wiss’ neck, completely uninterested in the fight. Whenever Aris saw them together, Wiss always acted off-hand while Dieu tried to desperately get his attention. Now Wiss was sitting contentedly in the circle of Dieu’s arms, chewing on his apple and waiting for the fight to start.

Sylver was to be the judge, ‘’on this glorious day that determines whether my name will be exclusively mine,’’ he begun, swinging his curved blade, ‘’the fight shall be determined by flooring.’’

‘’Boring!’’ Mido called.

‘’Make ‘em fight till ones out!’’ Merina yelled.

‘’Or better yet, dead,’’ Mayflower added, leaning on the wooden balustrade, ‘’I don’t mind which one,’’ she added with a grin directed at her brother.

‘’It will be flooring,’’ Sylver said firmly.

‘’Why does Sylver get to decide?’’ Rai complained, staring at the cavern walls dreamily, ‘’he’s only been here a month.’’

‘’It’s going to be flooring because I’d prefer to have Silver in one piece after,’’ Bane called to loud cheers. Aris flushed but held his ground.

Sylver cleared his throat, ‘’either way, whoever hold down the other for fifteen seconds first wins!’’

Aris braced himself. If Bane got him on the ground, he’d easily keep him down, which meant Aris simply had to stay above ground. It’d be harder to get Bane down, judging by the sheer size of him. Maybe if he sat on him…? But Aris didn’t have any time to think about how he’d keep Bane down because in the next moment the fight had started and Bane barrelled straight for him. For a bandit, born and raised, he was surprisingly predictable. Aris supposed he was better at sword-play than actual combat. He easily skipped out of his way. This could go down one way, if Aris was to win – his speed would have to trump over Bane’s muscle. He still didn’t know how he could win, though – if this was about beating him till he was unconscious, he’d struggle too. Bane was a bull of a man. Holding him down would be hard, too, and killing him with no weapon even harder. So Aris would have to turn one of his liabilities into a weapon.

But first he had to get Bane on the floor.

It was hard to concentrate because the eight bandits were making as much noise and two dozen would have. Aris tried to think straight, to concentrated solely on Bane; on the dimple in his cheek when he smirked; of the sweat forming on his muscled arms; of his dark hair falling into his hazel eyes; of the three claw-like scars against his bicep… No, no, that definitely wasn’t helping. He didn’t even try throwing punches…but maybe he could literally drag him down. He’d have to get behind Bane first. He adapted Bane’s stance and charged. Bane grinned; this was a tactic he knew. He raised his arms to catch Aris and that was his mistake. Aris ducked under his arm and skidded around, jumping onto his back before Bane could react. Roshni yelled – in Aris’ favour – and so did Sylver as Aris put his whole weight on Bane’s neck.

Bane stumbled back and Aris yanked. Bane toppled down and Aris barely managed to roll out of the way. Now Bane was down and he had to keep him down. He jumped on him, pressing a knee to his chest, but he wasn’t being violent. He leaned close and Bane froze up. Aris gazed into his eyes, his mouth curled in a light smile, as he stroked one fingers from his chest to his chin and his cheek, which he caressed. Bane held his breath, splayed beneath him – an easy victory. Above, the bandits were counting down, their voices shrill and excited and full of disbelief. Bane didn’t move, staring in to Aris’ eyes even when Sylver roared ‘FIFTEEN!’ Aris grinned, ‘’you know, you really are predictable,’’ he dropped his hand and got up, to loud cheers.

Aris left, leaving Bane staring at the cavern ceiling in disbelief, to find something to wear.

*~*~*

Aris’ plan wasn’t very complicated. He had to get a weapon and get out, but to get out he’d have to act a little more compliant. So the others would drop their guard. And he knew exactly how to do that. As he expected, Bane approached him the same night. He was sitting in the corner, by himself, having chased away a dozen bandits congratulating him on his victory, eating a bowl of Roshni’s rabbit stew when twin blades was placed on the table in front of him. They were wickedly curved, like most swords around here, and the black handles were tipped with curved metal additions that could be used to throw some deadly punches if it came to it. The blades were the crudest blades Aris had seen in his live and he instantly loved them. No more golden for-show palace swords. He scooped them up before Bane could snatch them away.

‘’You won, Silver,’’ Bane was smiling with something that resembled pride, ‘’your weapons, as you asked.’’ He passed Aris a leather strap that he immediately fastened over his chest and around his back. The blades slid into the straps at the back as easily as knife into butter.

‘’Aris.’’

‘’Hm?’’

‘’My name.’’ Aris raised his chin, ‘’Aris Loic.’’

Bane blinked, ‘’but…you won…’’

‘’Yes, well,’’ Aris picked up his almost empty bowl, ‘’I’ve decided I’ve grown tired of everyone calling me Silver.’’ As soon as the overjoyed grin split Bane’s mouth, Aris hurried away. Let Bane think he was warming up to him – that would only make tonight’s escape easier and with his weapons he was invincible. He handed Roshni back the bowl with a smile and even said goodnight to Merina when he passed her, albeit gruffly. He returned to his room for the last time. In the past days rather than wandering around pointlessly he’d started memorising the exits, which rock planes ended with a drop and which could help him in his escape. There was no way of getting away from the hide-out if he escaped through his window again, unless he wanted to fall to his death.

Aris waited. He was good at that, despite his mostly-impatient nature. He’d always been the best at hide-and-seek when he and his siblings had been kids. He used to drive Elentina nuts. Now he waited on his small bed in the corner of the room, till the last voices of bandits saying goodnight stopped echoing down the stone corridors. He didn’t bother with a torch. He’d grudgingly changed clothes into the bandit ones, after even he couldn’t bare the stench of his own ones. Which didn’t mean he enjoyed wearing the bandit colours of red and black; the people would recognise them as soon as he marched into Queensbane, but better that than clothes that made him look like a beggar.

Sneaking out of his room was almost too easy. There’d never been any ‘guards’ posted outside his room, as there had been at the palace for his protection. Now the corridor was empty, the few torches burning low, making the walls seem more jutted and rough than they were. Using his hand as a guide, Aris stuck close to the walls and the shadows, hiding as best as he could even though there was no one there. The night was deep and so was the sleep of the bandits. The twin blades pressed against his back gave him courage. He’d ditched the blood-red cloak in his room after some deliberation. It was impractical and even though it was cold outside, he’d rather risk freezing to death than being spotted thanks to the bright colour.

Aris had chosen the east exit, unconsciously following Wiss’ advice. The drop here would be hard to scale, but Aris had practice with trees. He was under no illusion that climbing down would be easy, but he’d do anything to get out of this place. The east exit was also in the direction of Belladonna and once he was between people, Bane would never find him. He felt even more convinced of his plan when the cool air of the open cavern mouth hit his face. He had been around this side a few times before; here there was much more than a steep drop ending with sharp tree tops. Here Aris could actually see a path winding through the forest, so far away and yet so close. He had to hurry – getting down to the foot of the mountain would take him till sunrise, if not longer, and he only had till then before they realised he was-

‘’Aris.’’

Bane’s voice was soft; Aris’ curse was not as he whipped around, his hands fitting ideally against the hilts of the swords, as if they had been made specifically for him. He whipped them out, the steel flashing in the moonlight, and levelled them at Bane, who was standing in the mouth of the cave, a few steps away from Aris, his shoulders sagging, ‘’you followed me,’’ Aris hissed.

‘’No,’’ Bane sounded…sad, ‘’I waited. Here.’’

Aris’ surprise almost made him lower his blades. Almost, ‘’…how did you know it would be tonight?’’

Now Bane huffed a small, mirthless laugh, shrugging, ‘’Merina said you told her ‘night’, so you must be up to something. You were so calm today even I got suspicious.’’ He met Aris’ eyes, taking a step forward, ‘’and it’s not hard to figure out which exit you’d try first.’’

Aris gripped his blades tighter, blue eyes flashing, ‘’if you take one more step towards me, you’ll taste defeat twice in the same night,’’ he warned.

Bane stepped forward anyway. Three more steps and he’d be head-to-head with the prince, ‘’I won’t draw my sword of my mate,’’ he said with quiet, deadly conviction, ‘’and I won’t let you leave, either.’’

‘’Why?’’ Aris’ voice was suddenly raw. His hand started shaking as Bane took another step forward, as if he was going to impale himself on the blades. Aris might have liked nothing more than to slit his throat, but his Omega was howling for him to drop the blades and not to, in any circumstance, hurt Bane.

‘’Because we’re _literally_ meant to be together. The gods decided that before we were born.’’ One more step forward.

Aris levelled his blades, ‘’don’t pretend to be religious,’’ he spat.

Emotion flashed through Bane’s eyes – pain and irritation, ‘’so, what? Because I live outside the law I’m not allowed to have faith?’’ he shook his head, ‘’open your eyes, Aris. I’m not nearly as bad as you want me to be,’’ another step forward, and Aris took a step back, his blades poking Bane’s chest, ‘’and I’m more stubborn than you think.’’

‘’Stop trying to pretend you’re so good! You’re not fooling anyone, especially me!’’ Aris exploded, his eyes shooting sparks, ‘’you burned down Queensport when we met. You turned a whole town into dust and ashes!’’ his voice was becoming higher, louder. At this rate he’d wake up the whole mountain, ‘’and for what? Because you wanted more gold!?’’ by the look in Bane’s eyes, Aris knew he was right. That was what bandits did. Bane wasn’t some kind of good bandit – those didn’t exist, ‘’you’re nothing but a thorn in the side of this kingdom, you and your ‘family’. Not once in the history of this kingdom, or another, did a prince mate with a criminal, because it’s _wrong_! The very idea makes me sick!’’ Bane looked as if each word was a blow delivered to his gut, but, when Aris finished, he spoke quietly.

‘’Come back inside. Its cold, you’ll get ill.’’

‘’No.’’

‘’Then you leave me no choice,’’ maybe Aris had driven Bane over an edge, because there was another flash as Bane drew his skull-tipped sword. He extended it to Aris, showing him the dark-silver, jagged blade, made with such precision that it was beautiful, and yet deadly at the same time, ‘’my mother’s blade. It’s called _Arihant_ – _killer of enemies_ ,’’ he levelled his sword at the ground and looked at Aris with pleading eyes, ‘’you’re not my enemy, Aris.’’

‘’But you’re mine,’’ Aris yelled and something snapped in him as he charged at Bane, despite every instinct and molecule of his body screaming at him to stop, stop, _stop_ … their swords clashed with a sound louder than Aris’ screams had been. The sheer force of Bane’s par nearly sent Aris toppling backwards but he used the momentum to push himself back upright and strike Bane again.

It was over before it even really started.

On his second attack, Bane easily struck his sword with so much force that it vibrated through Aris’ bones. The sword went flying from his hand and skidded against the stone floor. Before Aris could compose himself, a neat blow from Bane dealt a similar fate to the second blade, also. As soon as Aris was weapon-less, Bane sheathed _Arihant_ and put his hands in level with his chest, palms out, a peace gesture…he opened his mouth and Aris knew what he would say…

A dam broke inside him and desperation like he’d never known before flooded his body. He was like a cornered animal and the worst thing was that Bane wasn’t going to be angry, but he would slowly and steady coax Aris to let him in. And if he did, how would he look Johan in the eye? How would he ever be able to look at his mother… with the desperation came a crucial decision and before Bane could reach him, Aris turned and ran straight for the drop. If he wanted to come down in one piece, he would have had to very carefully clamber down the many sharp, jutting-out stones on this side of the mountain.

But he didn’t want to come down in one piece anymore.

He ran, his feet hitting the ground one, two, three… ‘’Aris!’’ Bane’s cry was so heart-broken that, again, his legs tried to stop moving, to turn him back around to his mate. But they didn’t and a second later Aris felt nothing underneath them, and he was falling…

And then he was hitting the ground, his arm screaming in pain where Bane had grabbed him and yanked him violently back. They both hit the stone at the same time, inches away from death, and Aris’ freedom. Aris yelled and cursed and kicked and punched Bane as the bandit king, breathing hard with adrenaline and shock, held him down. Aris didn’t degrade himself further by crying, but he wanted to. Eventually he drained himself completely fighting against the unmovable wall that was Bane. Bane didn’t try to embrace him, didn’t yell at him, just held him down with raw pain painted in his eyes as clearly as if Aris was feeling it.

Finally Aris lay limp, breathing hard, exhausted. Bane released his wrists slowly and stood. He retrieved Aris’ blades. Aris sat up, not knowing what to do with himself, with his hands, with his eyes. He felt a slightly pressure as Bane slid the blades back into their scabbards against Aris’ back. Then Bane was crouching close, closer than he’d ever been before, except for that one kiss when they met. He pressed his head into Aris’ neck, his hair tickling Aris’ cheek, ‘’please…’’ his voice was broken, ‘’don’t ever do it again.’’ He stood, pulling Aris up. The prince didn’t even have the energy to push him away but Bane dropped his hand by himself.

Aris fought to walk straight, especially when he realised that he had, indeed, awoken the whole mountain. Bandits seemed to be lined down every wall in every corridor, watching curiously as Bane escorted him to his room. With each bandit, Aris felt everything come back. The rage, hopelessness, determination all came back, and now at least he wasn’t numb. By the time he reached his room, it had culminated. May, Roshni and Merina were leaning against the wall next to his bedroom. Merina was the only one Aris saw; she didn’t look smug. There was something like regret in her dark green eyes. Aris walked up to his door, turned and punched her straight in the face.

Roshni gasped and Mayflower caught her as she reeled back, blood gushing from her nose. Merina’s eyes remained clear and she didn’t punch Aris back, even though he dared her with his eyes, standing tall, lingering, by his doors. But she didn’t and he went inside, slamming the doors on Bane and the girls and this whole mess.

When he woke up in the morning the door was unlocked. He wasn’t a traditional prisoner anymore. He stepped outside; Bane was sleeping with his back leaning against the wall, his lips parted. Aris stepped over him carefully and went to get breakfast. It was extremely early still so there weren’t many bandits inside the hall. A few here and there, Mido, who was in charge of breakfast that day, standing by a big pot of hearty soup, and the girls. They all wore dark blue cloths around their foreheads and were sharpening weapons, probably off on a mission. Merina’s nose looked a little bent. With them was a fourth girl, which was strange, because as far as Aris was concerned May, Roshni and Merina were the only females around.

Aris approached cautiously, frowning; the fourth girl seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn’t pin-point where he had seen her. He couldn’t blame himself though; she was very non-descript, with short mousy hair and a fringe that mostly covered her grey eyes and a soft face that couldn’t ever be fully sweet or fully vicious. And yet here she was in a black-and-red tunic and the three-bead bandit necklace around her neck. She was talking seriously to Merina, who was Bane’s second in command. Aris crept closer, ‘’…so they know where to look now. It’s only a matter of time before he shows up here, so your must act quickly. This could end very badly for us…’’

‘’Don’t worry,’’ Merina put her hand on the girl’s shoulder, ‘’thanks to your warning, Bane will come up with something. Good work, Ryane.’’

Aris gasped and all four heads turned to him, ‘’you…you’re the palace Hermes!’’ he exclaimed, ‘’you work for my brother!...or…I thought you did?’’ he couldn’t wrap his head around the scene in front of him.

Ryane bowed her head slightly, ‘’I’m glad to see you’re safe, my prince.’’

Aris opened and closed his mouth multiple times like a fish. He knew a King could never trust anyone but…did that mean literally _anyone_!? Merina sighed and rolled her eyes when Aris couldn’t find his voice, ‘’yes, Ryane is a plug in the palace for the bandits. Big mystery, unsolved. You can close your mouth now.’’ Aris did so.

Ryane bowed her head again, ‘’I am terribly sorry to have deceived you like this.’’

May snorted, ‘’damn, court life’s changed you, Ry.’’

Ignoring her, Ryane dug around underneath her tunic and produced a square envelope, sealed with the Sahrian Queen-seal. Aris didn’t want to know where she got it from, ‘’a letter from your sister, to be given to you when you have been found. To offer you some comfort.’’

Hesitantly, Aris took the letter but his eyes remained on Ryane, uncertain, ‘’is…is my brother coming?’’

The girls exchanged looks, and finally Roshni spoke, ‘’he found out the location of our hide-out, yes. We suspect him within days.’’ He must have looked elevated because Roshni shook her head sadly, a few strands coming loose from her braid, ‘’Bane won’t give you out.’’

Aris grinned, ‘’he won’t have a choice. My brother has an army,’’ and then he turned, clutching the letter to his chest. He passed a sleepy-looking Bane outside the doors but he ran straight for his room, feeling lighter than he had for days.

 

*~*~*

Mihai emerged from his chambers four days after the visit of the mysterious noblewoman, exactly a week after his failed wedding night. Before he left, he requested a bath and a fresh set of clothes. A servant must have notified Shayan that he was finally coming out because as soon as he stepped out into the corridor, donned in a freshly pressed, light blue kimono, the Emperor was waiting, ‘’Ah! Mihai!’’ he said with so much relief in his voice that Mihai was glad he’d emerged. He wanted Shay to hug him, show him some affection, but Shay just took his hand. Mihai wasn’t angry; he was brought up to be very reserved with his touches. Getting touched at all was a great privilege. Mihai’s heart fluttered when Shay brought his hand to his lips, kissing it almost reverently, ‘’forgive me,’’ he whispered against his fingers. Mihai stood on his tip-toes and very carefully and slowly pressed a kiss to his cheek. When he pulled back, Shay was looking a little startled, his cheeks flushed lightly.

Mihai laughed softly, ‘’shall we go?’’

‘’Ah, yes,’’ Shay shook off the surprise and gently released Mihai’s hand. They started down the corridor towards the dining room where the breakfast would be served shortly. Shay remained a safe distance away, ‘’There someone I’d like you to…view?’’

‘’Meet? I think that’s what you mean?’’ Mihai corrected him with a kind smile.

Shay laughed, a little embarrassed, ‘’forgive me, I still learning.’’

‘’Yes, thank you. You’re quite good,’’ Mihai said, ‘’I will put effort into learning your language, too.’’ Shay beamed at him. They reached the dining room. Two of the silent guards pushed the doors open, bowing to them. They strolled over to the table, Mihai fixated on Shay’s small smile, ‘’who is it that you want me to meet?’’ they stopped at the table and only then did Mihai realise that it was occupied. And the person sitting at it was…

‘’Mihai, please meet sister, Eliha.’’

The woman stood and took hold of Mihai’s both shoulders. Contrary to her brother’s behaviour, she kissed both his cheeks, ‘’please forgive my brother’s clumsy speech. He does stay holed up in the palace too much.’’

Shay’s eyebrow twitched and it was the first time Mihai saw him mildly irritated. It made him look younger, less godly and more human, somehow, ‘’my sister visit from Salar. She married Duke of Salar, and child…um…’’ Shay clearly had trouble finding the words.

‘’Gods, Shay, you don’t have to tell him my entire background,’’ Eliha laughed and added something in Asakurian that made Shay smile and shake his head. She grasped one of Mihai’s hands in hers, ‘’I believe we’ve already met, Mihai. I’m very glad you listened to my advice.’’

Mihai smiled and squeezed her hand, ‘’thank you for visiting me.’’

‘’Oh, no problem,’’ she touched his cheek affectionately, ‘’I couldn’t wait to meet you. It’s no surprise Shay manhandled you, he’s about as experienced in this as a sheep.’’

‘’I understood that,’’ Shay crossed his arms over his chest.

‘’I’m just teasing,’’ Eliha laughed, adjusting her aquamarine-flowered kimono. She was incredibly beautiful and her thick black hair was half tied up in a ponytail. There was a thin silver circlet studded with blue gems around her forehead, which Mihai supposed was a Salarian custom, ‘’Mihai, we shall walk later. We can gossip about my brother without him around,’’ she winked at Mihai and he found himself relaxing, ‘’let’s eat, let’s eat,’’ she clapped her hands and servants poured in with dishes upon dishes which Mihai had yet to get used to.

 

*~*~*

‘’Where have you been?’’ Elenia was leaning against the wall next to the doors to the female servant quarters in the lowest levels of the palace, sharpening two knives against each other. They made a metallic, dangerous sound. She raised her eyebrow at Ryane, who stopped dead in the middle of the cold, dark corridor, ‘’the curfew for servants has long passed.’’

‘’What about you? Sharpening knives outside of the kitchen…by the way, those don’t even look like kitchen knives,’’ Ryane looked her up and down, ‘’I knew there was something suspicious about you.’’

‘’Same to you. You know,’’ Elenia stopped the sharpening and threw a knife in the air, catching it neatly by the hilt, ‘’as a Hermes, it’s normal that you’re away a lot. And yet as soon as the news came from Belladonna that the prince has been found, you disappeared.’’ She smirked, ‘’without an order. Where did you go?’’

‘’I think you know already,’’ Ryane said tightly.

‘’Indeed,’’ Elenia flicked her knife again and this time when she caught it she extended the hilt towards Ryane, ‘’I think you know something about me, too. Maybe not everything. But you’ve snooped around enough to know I’m not here to serve the royal family,’’ she practically spat the last words.

Ryane studied her for a moment, before shrugging, ‘’I’m not concerned with your goals. I’m only here to inform my king about what this one,’’ she nodded her chin upwards, ‘’is up to.’’

Elenia sent her a deadly smile, ‘’likewise. I say – as long as you keep your mouth shut, I’ll shut mine. What do you say, my little bandit?’’

Ryane stepped forward and grasped the knife, ‘’I say deal,’’ she didn’t smile as she tucked the knife into her tunic and disappeared into the quarters.

Elenia grinned, playing with her knife. She stood there for a quarter of an hour before a boy appeared, clad in shadow and silence, so that Elenia did not notice him till he was upon her, ‘’boo,’’ she said before he could speak, noticing him out of the corner of her eye, ‘’good evening, Cyr.’’

Cyr dipped his head politely, his voice muffled by the black piece of cloth around his mouth, ‘’my favourite bastard.’’

‘’Report?’’

‘’The prince has forwarded my side of the mission. I will strike soon, I believe.’’ He narrowed his dark eyes, ‘’I’d prefer if you went after me.’’

Elenia snorted, ‘’what, you kill the second prince and, what? The security around the king will be doubled.’’

Cyr shrugged, ‘’I think you can handle it. Or are you not determined enough?’’ he stepped forward and squeezed her shoulder, ‘’you know, Elenia, me and you, we’re different from the rest of them. We’ve got personal reasons. I’m serving my king, you’re trying to kill yours. I’m in this for Moriya, you’re in this for revenge on your ‘family’. We’ve got more reason than the others to strike, so we must do it well. You’re older than me, more experienced,’’ he stepped back, ‘’you can handle the extra guard.’’

Elenia looked at him for a long while, and finally started cleaning her fingertips with her knife, ‘’as you wish. You strike first; I will follow. In due time, the four of us will return home as the heroes of our guild. The King of Sahr will die, the princess will lose her right to the Sahrian throne but by that time, we’ll have Ilia on the throne. And I’ll have my revenge.’’

‘’Indeed,’’ Cyr was already walking off into the shadows, ‘’soon.’’  


	9. The Physician's Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support guys!  
> It's been mentioned that the last smut scene was a bit vague, so I hope you enjoy this one!  
> Not spoiling any further~

‘’Many happy returns, my King,’’

Johan smiled, not opening his eyes. He relished in the way Serafin nuzzled his nose into the crook of his neck. It was early, and Kings got up early, even if they did not necessarily wish to. And today…today, was a good day. Today was Johan’s Day of Birth ball, and in two days…in two day his brother would be back with them. His men were assembled and he was ready to bring Aris back home. But for now he let himself forget everything except the feel of Serafin against him. It was wondrous how quickly one could fall in love. Finally Johan opened his eyes to find Serafin hovering above him, propped on his skinny elbows, his black eyes full of adoration, ‘’good morning, my love.’’ Johan whispered, cupping his face, brushing his thumb against his high cheekbone. He rolled off bed before he did something more and was late to breakfast.

Serafin smiled dreamily, watching his muscular back visible against his night-shirt, ‘’how does it feel to be twenty six?’’ he asked.

‘’Old,’’ Johan stretched, running a hand through his golden hair, ‘’especially when my husband is so young.’’

Serafin grinned and extended his arms to Johan. The King scooped him up and pulled him into his lap. Serafin hugged him tightly, running his fingers through the long strands of Johan’s golden hair, pulling his fringe out of his eyes. He kissed his nose, ‘’I love you,’’ he murmured.

‘’Me, too,’’ Johan kissed him properly, ‘’so much. You have no idea.’’

‘’I think I have, actually,’’ Serafin laughed and shifted slightly, pointedly, against Johan’s sudden erection.

Johan groaned, ‘’that was an accident…’’

‘’Mm-mh,’’ Serafin kissed him again, trying to coax him into submission.

Johan laughed against his lips, pulling away, ‘’come on, we need to get to breakfast. Later.’’

‘’Don’t you want to?’’ Serafin tilted his head, red hair sticking up. He had the cutest bed-hair Johan had ever seen.

‘’Of course I want to,’’ Johan kissed him, hard, ‘’gods, you’re insatiable.’’

‘’I blame you,’’ Serafin whispered, pushing against Johan’s shoulders till he obediently fell back into the bed, Serafin on top of him. Johan slipped one hand down to cup his ass, and Serafin jumped as the cold metal of the King’s Seal pressed to his skin. Their kisses turned more heated.

Suddenly the doors banged open and Kaen appeared in the doorway, fully dressed, arms crossed, looking unimpressed, ‘’Many happy returns, brother,’’ he said with a straight face, nodding at Serafin, ‘’good morning, Finn.’’

Johan’s eyebrows shot up, and he forgot to yell at Kaen for his bad timing, ‘’Finn?’’

Serafin shrugged, sitting on his hell against Johan’s legs, ‘’the court decided my name was too long, so they shortened it.’’

Johan sat up also, looking between Kaen and Serafin, ‘’and you…don’t mind?’’

‘’I like it, actually. I’ve never had a nickname,’’ Serafin shrugged.

‘’Then what do you want me to call you?’’

‘’Whatever you want,’’ Serafin smiled and slotted their lips together.

Kaen cleared his throat, ‘’before you decide to re-spawn, brother, I’d like you to know that mother will gouge your eyes out if you’re late to your birth day breakfast.’’

‘’So kind of you, Kaen,’’ Johan said and Kaen flashed him a grin before disappearing behind the doors. They were all in elevated spirits at the prospect of getting Aris back. Johan graced Serafin with a few more kisses before picking out clothes to get dressed. When he’d gotten married he finally managed to chase away the servants that had helped him dress every day since he was old enough to walk. He was a grown man, and it would be embarrassing if he couldn’t dress himself. As he pulled the golden clips of his bright red tunic across his chest, he watched Serafin put on a carefully pressed white and silver outfit that set off his hair. Johan drew him to his side before he even finished tying the strings, ‘’you’re beautiful,’’ he breathed against his hair.

Serafin just smiled and retrieved the red ribbon which he used to tie Johan’s hair into its customary over-the-shoulder ponytail. He smoothed it down, kissed his cheek and went towards the doors. Johan caught his wrist before he could leave, ‘’Serafin…’’ he started, ‘’I’ve…sent out for cures.’’ Serafin’s eyes widened, ‘’well, not cures, because I don’t think you’re sick,’’ Johan said quickly, ‘’but I’ve sent for scholars and philosophers and healers, who might be able to silence your god. I thought it would be easier for you and even if it doesn’t work; it’s worth a try, isn’t it? I’m sorry if you don’t want to, I probably should have mentioned it, but they’re meant to be here tomorrow morning and…’’

Serafin pressed his pale fingers to Johan’s lips to silence him, ‘’thank you,’’ his voice was shaking.

Johan peered at him, worried, ‘’are you…angry?’’

‘’No,’’ Serafin laughed and shook his head, taking hold of Johan’s hand. He kissed his ring, like the courtiers did to show their respect, ‘’I’m grateful. It’s more than my uncle ever did for me. Even if it doesn’t work…’’ he pressed his hand to his forehead, an ancient sign of respect and adoration, ‘’thank you.’’

Overcome with relief, Johan took his hand and they hurried to breakfast. Once they were out in the corridor, Serafin hooked his hand on Johan’s bicep and they walked more slowly, as they should as a couple. They entered the dining room, where the servants were lining the walls, heads bowed. The chair at the head of the table and the chair to its left had been left empty for Johan and Serafin. Queen Mother Magnon was sitting on the other side of Johan’s chair. She wasn’t eating, possibly because the black veil dropped over her face made it difficult, but also because she was filing through letters and paperwork, even at the table. King Odion used to tease her about it, on the rare times when he came to family breakfast, but she did do all his paper work, and now she did Johan’s. It was just her way of being.

Down the table sat Kaen, looking grumpy and next to him Ilia who, for once, wasn’t trying to get on Kaen’s nerves with subtle comments. He looked tired, as he had the past two days or so, but with each day some of his wit returned to him. Still, he teased Serafin now more than Kaen. In fact, he seemed to speak to Kaen minimally at all. Kaen suddenly felt a longing for how it used to be – the head table empty, their mother snapping at all his siblings to eat their food. He wanted Elentina and Mihai and Aris at the table, but even when Aris came back, Elentina and Mihai would never return, not as prince and princess of Kainan, at least. Johan glanced at Serafin and the feeling disappeared; he didn’t have Serafin back then and he would not give him up.

Jhoka sat on the other side of Queen Magnon, neatly folding and passing her papers. She herself didn’t eat much, either, ‘’good morning,’’ Johan said, and everyone stood, as was customary, as Johan led Serafin to his seat on the other side of Kaen.

‘’Many happy returns,’’ his mother looked up long enough to say it before everyone took their seats, repeating the words. The breakfast was subtly altered from what they usually had, displaying many of Johan’s favourite foods. He grinned and Jhoka winked at him. Queen Magnon folded the last paper and passed it to Jhoka so she could put it on her neat stack. She clicked a finger at a servant and the boy hurried away with the papers. Magnon waved another servant over, ‘’wine for the King.’’

Johan glanced up when she finished filling his goblet, ‘’thank you…’’ their eyes met and he blinked, surprised. She definitely didn’t look like the other servant girls. Her face was tanned, cut through by white, uneven scars that were faint enough to not notice from a distance. She had blue eyes and hair the colour of wheat, similar to Johan’s. In general she looked quite familiar but before Johan could pin-point where from, she bowed her head and retreated with the jug of wine.

‘’All is prepared,’’ Queen Magnon said, finally reaching for a piece of orange. Summer had come swiftly, bringing with it exotic fruit and hot weather, ‘’the day after tomorrow you will ride out with a hundred men into the mountains. My tracker has traced down a path through the mountains that is safest and fasted. You will go by horseback and retrieve Aris.’’ Her eyes glinted with warning, ‘’bandits are vicious, and we do not know how many there are. Try to avoid confrontation, if you can. The mountains have always ruled as a separate kingdom, with the Bandit King at its head. Bane Santi may be a criminal but he is still a leader. Try to talk, before you fight.’’

Johan nodded, ‘’who are my men?’’

‘’Kaen, of course. Amongst normal foot soldiers, Kay, the Captain of the Guard, will flank you left, and the arrow-master your right. The Duke of Mor has also volunteered.’’

‘’Nav?’’ Johan blinked, surprised, ‘’I thought he was better with his politics than his sword. Or at least he had been, the last time I checked.’’

‘’Even so, he volunteered and the Captain took him into the flanks. I think it has something to do with paying a debt to Elentina. After all, he had been your sister’s best friend and confidante; and he’d always been friendly with Aris.’’

‘’Well, I suppose the more men, the better,’’ Johan said, feeling a tinge of adrenaline in his system.

‘’I want to come, too,’’ Serafin blurted out of nowhere.

Ilia snorted from down the table, ‘’do you even have a sword, Finn?’’

‘’I do,’’ Serafin said, his voice and eyes determined as he looked at Johan, ‘’and Prince Aris is my family now, too, even though I haven’t met him yet. Let me come.’’

‘’It’s dangerous,’’ Johan said, ‘’and you’ll hate me for saying this, but you have to stay here, and be safe.’’

Serafin slipped his hand around Johan’s, ‘’the more men the better, right? I can be useful.’’ He smiled the smile that Johan couldn’t resist, ‘’and if you leave me here, I won’t speak to you for a week.’’

Johan smiled, ‘’alright. But you’re sticking close to me.’’

‘’Then I want to come too,’’ Ilia said.

Kaen cut him a glare, ‘’no way.’’

Ilia gave him a bored look, ‘’I was asking _the king_.’’

‘’Ilia, you know how to fight?’’ Johan raised his eyebrows.

The boy grinned, ‘’I am the second prince of Moriya. I can probably fight better than Kaen.’’ Before Kaen could fight with him, he added, ‘’but I don’t use swords. I have something better.’’

Johan shrugged, ‘’well, as Serafin reinforced, the more men, the better. But you’re sticking close to Kaen. I don’t want my family getting hurt.’’

‘’Great,’’ Kaen was already starting to sulk, ‘’now it’ll be like fighting with a child clinging to my sleeve.’’

Ilia mock-gasped, ‘’you’ve put my feelings into perfect words. We’re really meant for each other.’’ He grabbed Kaen’s hand and brought it to his chest.

Kaen kissed his teeth, ripped his hand away and stood, ‘’thank you for breakfast,’’ he spat and stormed out.

Magnon half smiled without looking up, ‘’welcome back, prince Ilia.’’

 

*~*~*

‘’You should dance with Ilia.’’ Johan said, pouring his brother more wine. His birthday banquet was in full swing, and Kaen was the only person with a sour face. Johan himself had drunk just a little, to boost himself. A mountain of gifts was being systematically taken to his room by his servants, ‘’else someone else will steal him from you.’’

‘’Fantastic, maybe he’ll stop irritating me then.’’

‘’Come on, you have to protect the good name of your husband.’’

Kaen snorted, ‘’good name, yeah right. Give it a few weeks; he’ll be whoring around by them.’’

Johan slammed his goblet down, ‘’honestly, Kaen, I don’t see what your problem with him is. Okay, so he teases you. He’s trying to get you to like him, but you just keep degrading him. You could at least try to welcome him. He’s seventeen, for the love of the gods. He’s just a child! He’s in a foreign place, all alone and he has a husband who isn’t the least bit loving, or even friendly.’’

‘’I think you’ve had too much to drink,’’ Kaen snapped and stood, finding a random girl to dance with. Johan rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. All around him his half-drunk court were talking, dancing and enjoying themselves while Johan, the birthday boy, was miserable.

That is, until Serafin appeared. Johan saw him approaching above the heaping food and overflowing vases of flowers and smiled. He walked around the head table to where Johan sat and touched his face, tilting his face up, ‘’why is my King sitting here by himself?’’ Serafin’s voice was like a soft caress. Johan sighed and turned his head to kiss Serafin’s palm. He didn’t answer. Serafin took a step back and extended a hand towards his husband, pointed downwards, so Johan could take it easily ‘’may I have this dance?’’

‘’Always,’’ Johan breathed, taking his hand and leading him to the dance-floor. The fiddlers were playing a merry tune that Johan knew well – it was a three person dance, Johan realised, as guests tripled up. Serafin laughed and when Johan turned he saw Kaen grinning at him, having taken his other hand. The wine finally hit him and Johan grinned at the three of them did the complicated step patterned, mirrored by the trios all around the room. It was an ancient dance, and one of Johan’s favourites – those not dancing stood on the sidelines, clapping around. If Johan hadn’t been dancing this since he learned how to walk he would have tripped over his feet, thanks to the wine. Serafin, being from Salar, was quickly learning the dances of the Kai court but the step sequence was still a mystery to him. Still, he held the hands of the brothers and let them lead him, laughing.

They broke apart and Johan double twirled Serafin before fluidly passing him on to Kaen, who spun him twice as well. Then came everyone’s favourite part – laughing, the trios broke apart and searched for partners. As he went through the steps, Johan watched Serafin, bright red in the face and laughing, so beautiful, as he spun Jhoka and moved on, to be picked up by one of the courtiers, and then further to let brown-skinned Nav twirl him again and then he was lost in the crowd. By the time the dances broke apart, clapping and laughing, Johan had danced with most of them and Serafin was back at his side. He felt much better now.

He spotted Ilia, leaning against a pillar, staring at his wine in a bored manner. He looked stunning in a dark blue tunic, but no one approached him. They wanted to; that much was clear. When someone passed, they tossed Ilia an envious or longing look, but he was the husband of the prince, and Moriyan, and not an Omega like everyone expected, so no one got close. Johan felt sorry for him, despite all his scheming. He could only imagine what it was like to be alone in a different country, ostracised because Kaen couldn’t be bothered to introduce him to people. He was just seventeen, after all. Johan touched his shoulder and Ilia glanced up, ‘’want to dance?’’ he asked with an easy smile, extending his hand.

Ilia gave him a grateful smile, golden eyes twinkling, ‘’I would love to, your majesty,’’ he put his goblet down on the floor and too his hand.

‘’You know, you don’t have to call me that anymore,’’ Johan said as he easily twirled his around. He was light and he was a good dancer, ‘’Johan, is fine. Or brother, if you want,’’ he grinned.

Ilia grinned back, ‘’you know, I’m starting to like you more than Kaen. Brother.’’

Later the ladies of the court called an all-girls dance and Ilia, in rebellion, pulled Serafin with him onto the dance-floor amongst the shrieking, laughing females. Johan enjoyed watching them dance but when he looked around, Kaen was nowhere to be seen.

*~*~*

Johan had never seen Serafin so nervous, not even at their wedding, as he did that morning after his birthday feast. He was practically shaking as Johan closed the audience room to let in the physicians and philosophist from all over Kainan, who, having prior knowledge of Serafin’s ‘condition’, came to look at him and offer a cure. There were two dozen; some were convinced that Serafin was seeing things and was crazy; some deliberated whether Serafin actually saw one of the ancient gods, and if this one was bad and would have to be coaxed into leaving his mind; others believed he was overtaken by evil demons. Johan didn’t say it, but he didn’t find any of the answers plausible. For hours they examined his husband, while Johan hovered nearby, worried, waiting for the verdict.

‘’Does he take regular baths? The steam from warm water may help to disperse the demons from his head.’’

‘’If there is a demon in there, the cure is simple – we must drill a small hole in his head to allow it to escape.’’

‘’Idiots. Heresy! That is no demon. His mind is simply not working well. He must be bound and submerged in ice water. So close to hibernation, he will be able to contact the god, and beg for forgiveness and to be left alone!’’

‘’Perhaps I will prepare a broth, although it will take weeks to make…’’

‘’It’s the moon! It’s phases are causing these attacks…you said yourself they happen rarely?’’

‘’He needs more sleep.’’

Johan spent all day listening to that and Serafin grew more and more agitated under stranger’s hands. Eventually he stood up and walked to Johan, grabbing his hands and whispering into his shoulder, ‘’please, let’s stop. None of this is going to work.’’

‘’I know. I’m sorry,’’ Johan brushed his hair from his face, ‘’maybe if we just-‘’

The doors to the audience chamber opened and two guards marched in with an elderly man hobbling between them. He wore very lose clothing, and held a little vial with purple liquid, ‘’your majesty,’’ the guards bowed, ‘’this man claims to have a cure for King Serafin’s condition.’’ They said and excused themselves.

‘’Indeed,’’ the man’s voice was as shaky as his posture, ‘’violets to calm him, sage to expel spirits, chrysanthemum to help with sleep, a little dust from the Ashiya, the white wall, to unite his majesty’s heart and the heart of the god, to bring about forgiveness. And a little honey to help it go down better,’’ the old man winked. Johan frowned – he’d never heard of a white wall and the other components seemed too common… but the other philosophers and physicians were nodding and muttering to each other.

‘’Violets do have a calming effect, yes…’’

‘’Sage has been used for centuries to cleanse the home…’’

‘’If extracted properly, chrysanthemum brings sleep…’’

Johan tucked a finger under Serafin’s chin and brought his head in his direction, ‘’do you want to try it?’’ he asked quietly. He was giving Serafin the choice but, honestly, he was excited. This could work. He could actually help Serafin…

‘’Yes. It’s worth a try,’’ Serafin said. He took Johan’s hand away from his chin, kissing it, before walking over to the man, who passed him the vial with shaky hands. Johan came to a stop behind him, a reassuring hand on the small of his back. Slowly, Serafin uncapped the purple vial. Without sniffing the contents, he squeezed his eyes shut and drank. The attention of every person in the room went from the old physician to Serafin. How would they know if it worked? Would there be a visible change? Johan watched his face intently as Serafin swallowed, and cringed at the taste.

‘’Serafin?’’ Johan asked after a second.

Serafin gave him an uncertain smile and opened his mouth. But instead of saying anything a look of panic crossed his face and his pale hand went to his throat. The vial felt out of his hand and the next thing Johan knew, he was catching Serafin in his arms as he fell, his eyes fluttering shut, ‘’the King has been poisoned!’’ one of the philosophers screeched.

Johan’s heart stopped. An assassination attack, ‘’idiot!’’ the philosopher who had called the others heretics stepped forward, ‘’he’s left him in a room full of healers!’’ Johan was pulled back as the philosophers and physicians got to work. He saw glimpses here and there through the cluster of older men, feeling like his heart was going to jump right out of his throat. He saw the physicians violently bend Serafin’s limp body in half. Someone must have shoved fingers down his throat because then Serafin was vomiting and the physicians were gasping. Johan wanted to rush to his husband, who was coughing his lungs out, but one of the physicians hurried over, clutching something in his handkerchief.

‘’It’s Visha’s pearl!’’ he said, opening the handkerchief to reveal a small round purple ball. Johan’s blood ran cold – this was the deadly poison of the assassins, ‘’thank god we got him to throw it up before it dissolved. He’ll be fine…’’

Relief hit Johan hard and with it came back his rationality. He whipped around but the cry to seize the old man died on his lips. The old man _wasn’t there_ , but there was no way he could have escaped that fast. Outside the doors were the guards, now hurrying inside prompted by one of the physicians. The only way of escape were the windows, which Johan opened a few hours into the examination, except if you fell you died and an ancient man couldn’t climb down…unless he wasn’t an old man after all. Ignoring the instinct to rush to Serafin’s side, Johan ran to the window, grabbing the ledge and peering as far as his body would allow without toppling over to his death.

The sides of the castle were empty, gold in the high summer sun. He could see the stables with the horses, the servants rushing around the courtyard, the brightly-coloured lords and ladies parading around the gardens under umbrellas in the distant gardens…but the walls were empty. No man clambering down. ‘’Johan…’’ Serafin’s broken voice reached him and Johan pried himself away from the windowsill.

‘’Find him. Find him and execute him,’’ he barked at the guards, and then slid to his knees in front of Serafin, who was shaking, tears in his eyes.

‘’I’m sorry…’’ he was whispering, ‘’I’m sorry, you could have gotten hurt…’’

‘’What? Don’t be stupid, I should be apologising to you. It was my fault; I should have had someone taste that.’’ Johan said heatedly, kissing his hands repeatedly, ‘’forgive me. I love you. We don’t have to do anything like this ever again. Just stay by my side; that makes her go quiet, right? Just stay with me forever and we’ll be fine.’’

Serafin was nodding his head, clutching Johan’s hands, but he looked near-hysterical. Johan ordered guards to escort him to their chambers and then off-handedly told another to give the physicians six golden coins each. Finding his mother wasn’t too hard; she was holding court in his place. Her ladies curtsied when they saw him and dispersed. Magnon stood, dark skirts rustling, and remained standing as Johan told her quickly, heatedly what had happened. In the end, she silenced him with a raised hand, as if he was still a child, ‘’a King does not panic like this. A King remains level-headed in all situations, even if the world around them goes to hell.’’

‘’He could have died!’’ Johan exclaimed, ‘’don’t lecture me on the ways of Kings when I nearly lost the person I care most about in the world!’’ but when he saw his tantrum had no effect on his mother – it never did – he quietened down.

‘’What do you propose we do?’’

‘’Talk to Kay, make him double the guard around the palace. Question the physicians here today, check the palace physicians, interview the guards, find out who that assassin was. Ask the servants. Find him. But make sure Serafin is protected at all times – and Kaen, Ilia, you…the rest of the Hyndestanes that remain in this castle.’’ He said, with each word regaining his composure, his determination. His mother nodded her approval and Johan’s eyes softened, ‘’will you take care of it? I need to go to him.’’

‘’Yes, go. I will do what I have always done,’’ Magnon sent him a knowing smile from behind the veil, ‘’be king in everything but name.’’

Johan sent her a grateful smile and then he was gone, out of the room and down the corridors, up staircases, past servants and staring guards, till he reached his chambers, pushing open the doors. He ran through the rooms until he reached the bed-chamber, where Serafin lay asleep in their bed. He stopped when he saw him and forced himself to take a deep breath. He exhaled, finally calming down. He needed to be a better King, a better husband and a better brother, he told himself. He’d get better. Once they got Aris back, he wouldn’t allow anyone else, human, demon or god, to hurt the people he loved. And he’d finally start ruling his country – not just through holding court and spoiling Serafin. He’d go to council, do his own paperwork…

Yes, he’d do all that, but now he was mentally exhausted and he just wanted to be with his husband. Slowly he unclipped the buckles on his tunic and slid it off his muscular shoulders. His pants followed, then his boots. He took off the heavy royal chain from around his collarbones and finally his undergarments. Naked as the day he was born, he gently peeled back the bedspread and slid in behind Serafin’s sleeping form, pulling an arm around his waist. He hadn’t meant to wake him, but Serafin had a very light sleep. He shifted, blinked himself awake and, when he spotted Johan’s tan arm around him, he shuffled around till they were facing each other. Johan looked deep into his eyes, ‘’I’m so glad you’re okay.’’ He kissed his forehead, ‘’you knew, didn’t you? That something was wrong. That’s why you looked so nervous all day.’’

Serafin looked away, ‘’it was very muted, since I was around you, and she’s usually quiet then. I shouldn’t have ignored it though,’’ he sighed, touching his face, ‘’it’s so contradictory. To live a normal life, I must ignore her. But to _live_ , I need to listen to her warnings.’’

‘’Then listen to her,’’ Johan said gently, bringing Serafin closer on the pillows, ‘’when she warns, tell me, and I’ll make sure you’re safe. I won’t let anything like what happened today happen again.’’

Serafin smiled faintly, ‘’I know. Let’s not talk about it anymore.’’ He drew himself closer to Johan, savouring his warmth, when his knee brushed against him. Serafin yelped like a sixteen-year-old virgin and pulled back, his face flooding with colour, ‘’y-you’re naked!’’

‘’Yes,’’ Johan smiled at his reaction, ‘’it’s not like you haven’t seen it. And I didn’t mean anything by it. But,’’ he pulled Serafin back against him, ‘’now that you’ve implied it, I think both of us need some distracting.’’ Serafin averted his eyes but didn’t stop Johan when he questioningly started undoing the strings of his tunic. He paused for a moment to stroke his hand down Serafin’s side a few times, ‘’am I being insensitive? Are you tired, in pain? Maybe you want to sleep?’’

‘’No,’’ Serafin took the hand stroking his side and placed it back against the tunic’s strings. He stroked it slowly, looking into Johan’s eyes, ‘’I want to please you, my lord.’’

Johan flushed. He was called ‘my lord’ on a daily basis, but never by Serafin. It felt intimate, somehow. He drew him closer, undoing the last strings, ‘’you do please me,’’ he slid the tunic off his pale shoulder and kissed it. He slowly took the tunic off and where the material slipped off, his mouth replaced it, spreading slow, reassuring kisses all over Serafin.

‘being here is different than I expected,’’ Serafin said quietly.

Johan raised his head, ‘’in a bad way?’’

‘’Of course not,’’ Serafin smiled at him, bringing his face back up to kiss him, ‘’I was really scared. I knew the language but I didn’t know the country. I thought the people would hate me for being a ‘mad king’. I was coming alone so I was really homesick,’’ he pressed their foreheads together, ‘’but I was sure of one thing, and it was that you were kind. From the letters you never stopped writing, I knew I’d be okay, as long as I was with you. And I am,’’ He smiled, ‘’I think by the time we met, I was a little bit in love with you already.’’

Johan exhaled shakily, overwhelmed with emotion, and pulled Serafin to him, ‘’I love you, I love you, I love you so much…’’ he chanted like a mantra, worshipping his body with kisses. Serafin huffed a quiet laugh into his hair, as he hooked his thumbs into Serafin’s pants and pulled them down. He already had an erection, which brushed against Serafin as he rid him of his undergarments also. It elicited a breathy moan from Serafin that nearly made Johan lose control. He grabbed his thighs and spread his legs so he could settle in between them, hovering above his husband. With their lips connected, he brushed himself against his again. Serafin shivered, placing both hands delicately on either side of Johan’s face as they kissed. When Johan moved a finger into him, Serafin moaned again, quietly, high pitched, like he couldn’t help himself.

He was so concentrated on Johan’s actions that he couldn’t kiss him anymore – his lips stayed parted against Johan’s, their breath mingling. When Johan added a finger, Serafin’s back arched. He hooked his arms around Johan’s neck, desperately burying his face in his neck. Even the tips of his ears were red.

‘’Everything okay?’’

‘’Better than okay,’’ Serafin murmured against his ear. He let Serafin slip out of his grip to position himself at his entrance, hiding his face behind his arm. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood when Johan entered him.

‘’Your lips are too pretty for that,’’ Johan murmured, going slower and leaning over to kiss him, licking the blood away with quick flicks of his tongue. He gently took hold of Serafin’s arm and uncovered his face, ‘’let me see you.’’ Serafin’s eyes were unfocused, his lips moist, his cheeks flushed, ‘’gods, you’re so beautiful.’’ When he finally moved, Serafin’s whole body moved with him. He pressed himself into the mattress, not even attempting to hide his moans. He let Johan caress his body with his large hands, moving his hips in rhythm. He really was insatiable in bed.

‘’J-Johan, I’m going to…’’

‘’What, already?’’ Johan laughed kindly, kissing his brow, ‘’wait a moment.’’

‘’I don’t think…I can…’’ Serafin panted, his words broken up by moans. Johan moved his hand swiftly up his shaft of his erection and squeezed the tip. Serafin shuddered.

‘’Just a minute longer,’’ he whispered, biting Serafin’s ear. He picked up his rhythm and when he was finally close, he released Serafin’s erection. With a breathy moan, Serafin spluttered all over his stomach and Johan in him. He almost collapsed on top of him, but managed to hold himself upright. He remained there for a moment, watching Serafin. His eyes were closed and he was breathing hard, his throat bobbing. He watched him calm down before finally withdrawing and cleaning him up as best as he could. Then they settled against each other, naked, and fell asleep, even though it was still light outside.

Johan could be King tomorrow.

*~*~*

‘’Captain,’’ Johan grinned, approaching his men, getting their horses ready in the courtyard of the palace. His hand was resting on his sheathed sword, Gordain. Like most swords, his was named after the gods – specifically after the first one, the god of Heroes and protector of all mankind. It was also old and too flashy for his liking, passed on down the first-borns of House Hyndestane for generation. After much pleading, begging and kissing, Serafin had been allowed to come. He was up before the sun even rose, polishing his sword. It was a thin, silver, needle-like rapier, ideal for the skinny, pale King. It was called _Abiel_ , after the Salarian angel of the gods, a deity which Johan had never heard of. Paranoid that someone would try and kill him again, Johan ordered him to ride right behind.

Kay reacted to the title, ‘’majesty,’’ he bowed, grinning. Kay was in his thirties and Johan had grown up looking up to him, while Kay taught him how to fight. It was almost like having another brother, ‘’I see you are in high spirits. I wish I could say the same, unfortunately I have spent most of the night interviewing soldier after soldier.’’

Johan sobered up, glancing at Serafin, ‘’and?’’

Kay shook his head, ‘’there had been so many old men flocking into the palace that no one paid attention to this one. But we will find him.’’

‘’I understand killing the merry mood, Kay, but your positively butchered it,’’ Artemis, the Arrow-master appeared, rubbing his eyes. He was leading a mare with hair as white as his. Artemis was the gentlest soul Johan knew, but if he was tired he could be foul. He was probably the only person in the Calvary with bow and arrow, not a sword. He and…

‘’Ilia, what is that?’’ Johan blinked.

‘’I was asking the same thing,’’ Kaen, who approached with Ilia and Nav and their horses, looked irritated already.

Ilia patted the long wooden staff tucked against his back over his shoulder fondly, ‘’my weapon. No need to concern yourselves.’’

Nav, forever the optimist, shrugged, ‘’it looks interesting.’’ Despite being twenty, he looked like a child, especially donned in his court clothing. The sword he’d borrowed from one of the soldiers looked out of place, bumping against his hip.

‘’Well,’’ Johan turned to his men, ‘’I think it’s high time we go and bring Prince Aris home.’’

 

*~*~*

‘’Idiot,’’ Cyr hissed at her in Moriyan. Elenia gave him an unamused look. He had caught her out in the forest, sharpening her weapons away from curious servants, ‘’we’ve discussed this!’’

‘’I saw my chance and I took it,’’ Elenia shrugged, ‘’I’d be an idiot if I hadn’t.’’

‘’You’ve ruined the plan!’’

‘’I simply took a detour. Don’t be dramatic,’’ Elenia held a blade to the sunlight, pretending to examine it but the message was clear, _don’t be dramatic or I’ll skin you alive_.

Cyr gritted his teeth, ‘’the King and his army set out an hour ago to retrieve the prince, but thanks to your attack the guard has been doubled. I haven’t had the chance to even get close to Kaen. Ilia’s angry; he’d hoped this whole masquerade would be over by now and he’d be on the throne.’’

‘’Yes, well, I don’t care what that brat thinks,’’ Elenia set her blade on her lap, irritated, ‘’I don’t answer to him or his idiotic brother. I answer to the guild master, and your mission success has nothing to do with mine. You go and kill Kaen for your king; but I’m killing Johan for myself.’’ She spat. Suddenly there was a blade at her throat.

‘’I’d be careful when talking about my king and my prince,’’ Cyr whispered, his eyes dark and dangerous.

Elenia put her hands up, ‘’okay, calm down. We’re both frustrated. You can’t blame me for jumping at the occasion. The call for cure was public knowledge; it was the perfect time for a poisoning.’’

‘’You’re trained against this impulse.’’ Cyr said, letting his blade drop against his leg, ‘’thanks to the Visha’s pearl, they know they have an assassin targeting them. And now _she’s_ coming, with her army of mercenaries. Thanks to your recklessness, my window of opportunity to kill Kaen has narrowed considerably, and because you failed with killing at least one of the King’s, so has yours. Congratulations,’’ Cyr shook his head, ‘’the plan stands. I strike next. You strike after me.’’

Elenia went back to sharpening an axe, ‘’as you wish. But for the record _she’s_ just an old woman. She’s no threat to us, and mercenaries switch sides as quickly as you pass them a gold coin.’’

‘’We’ll see,’’ Cyr went to go, but hesitated, ‘’by the way…how did you do it? The whole palace is talking about an old physician who disappeared like a phantom.’’

Elenia grinned, sunlight reflecting off her golden hair and teeth, ‘’I have my ways.’’


	10. The Favoured Mistress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support my loves, especially that one reviewer that reviews every chapter ;) You're awesome!

Now that they knew what they were looking for, finding the bandit hide-out wasn’t very hard. The bandits were ready for them – perhaps they had seen the Calvary ride through the hill that ran through the forest. As soon as Johan and his men cleared the trees they were met with the brigands. There was a patch of field where the trees didn’t reach, practically flat, before what seemed like another mountain jutted from the ground. From what Johan saw of it you could climb parts of it comfortably, but in most places you had to actually _climb_ , using your hands and feet. He could see the black gaping holes that could only be where the bandits lived. Here it was windy, but it was still summer – the lack of fog meant Johan could easily see the impossibly high peak of the mountain, covered with snow, so, so far away. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you would never even think someone could be living in those caves.

The bandits were outnumbered one to two, and that gave Johan courage, even as woman stepped forward, looking completely unbothered by that fact, flanked by the only two other girls, all wearing black cloths around their foreheads. Despite her hair being cut close to her scalp, it was clear she was an Omega from the silver shine of it. But, like Aris, she didn’t _feel_ like an Omega – more like a girl who could kick your ass. Johan jumped down from his horse – the soldiers, who had gone by foot, formed a tight formation behind him. He scanned the bandits, and although most were men none of them looked like a Bandit King, ‘’I want to speak with the Bandit King,’’ his voice was carried by the wind, whisked up to the mountain.

‘’I’m Merina, his second in command,’’ the woman spoke coldly, ‘’and you may speak to me, King.’’ _King_ – not _your majesty_. She was acknowledging his status while making it clear that he was not her sovereign.

‘’I hope to solve this without the use of violence,’’ he said boldly, even as the bandits snickered. Each and every one of them were equipped with crude, curved blades, some two. A few had axes as well. The girls at Merina’s sides shifted and grinned to themselves, like Johan was saying something idiotic.

But Merina remained stone-faced, ‘’let’s hope that will be the case.’’

‘’I demand my brother back,’’ Johan said simply but his voice was commanding and the grins disappeared from the mouths of Merina’s girls.

‘’He is my King’s mate; you have no right to separate them.’’ Merina replied casually.

‘’I do. He’s my family,’’ Johan stood taller. Merina was the shortest of the three girls, up to his chest, but she commanded respect that made him want to appear more menacing, ‘’let me speak with him. If he does not wish to be here, then your King has no right to force him.’’

The girls exchanged looks that told Johan that Aris clearly didn’t want to be here. Merina spoke after a moment of tense silence, the kind of silence that is unnatural when one hundred and fifty people are present, ‘’the bond of soulmates runs deeper than the bond between brothers and family. It also runs deeper than status. He is no longer prince Aris, but the mate of King Bane.’’

‘’Don’t degrade him like that,’’ this came from Kaen, an angry bark as he stepped forward, his hand on _Charybdis_ , a sword named for the goddess of indecisions worshipped only by the people of Kai, ‘’he may be an Omega but he will never be _just_ a mate of one Alpha or the other. Don’t you dare speak about him in such an insignificant way.’’

Something glimmered in Merina’s eyes and Kaen remembered that she was an Omega, too. She inclined her head, acknowledging what Kaen said, ‘’what I meant is that none of us can separate them, Prince of no Prince.’’

Johan’s jaw clicked as he crushed his teeth together. He felt Serafin’s gentle hand on his elbow, steadying him, clearing the crimson haze that threatened to overtake his vision, ‘’answer me truthfully. Has Bane bitten Aris yet?’’

‘’No.’’ Merina said levelly.

‘’He should have,’’ this came from the long-haired girl next to her.

‘’May. Enough,’’ Merina silenced her.

‘’If he hasn’t been bitten, then they are not yet mates in the full sense. Therefore, I demand my brother back,’’ Johan said tightly, ‘’where is he?’’

Finally Merina dropped the polite tone and crossed her arms over her chest, ‘’you’re not taking him.’’

‘’We’ll see about that,’’ Kaen snapped, unsheathing _Charybdis_ , and charging straight for her. The tension between the two opposing lines snapped and the bandits ran at Johan’s soldiers with a deafening cry. Johan found himself locking swords with the only other bandit that had spoken, May. She had looked so bored but now her face was purely vicious, as was her blade. Even as Johan blocked her blow with _Gordain_ , the curve of her sword threatened to scratch out his eyes. He used his whole strength to push and succeeded in unhooking the blade from around his sword, and sending May back a step.

A few steps from him Kaen was engaged in battle with the Bandit King’s second in command. Merina’s sword was a blur of silver as she spun it around, sending Kaen backwards step by step. It was only a matter of time before he tripped and wound up dead. From the corner of his eye, for a split second, he saw Ilia whip out his wooden stick and with terrifying precision knock down four opponents around him. He spun around like a dancer, his staff hitting stomachs, heads and jaws, sending bandits sprawling. He himself was knocking down more opponents than Kaen, Johan and the Captain put together. He pared another one of May’s blows and, to his terror; she whipped out a second blade from her back. They clashed, fighting for dominance. Johan, who was clearly stronger, risked a glance at Serafin, who was holding his ground. _Abiel_ was like a needle in his hand, precise with each strike. An arrow swished too close to Johan’s ear for comfort.

But this all, although it felt incredibly intense, lasted only a few seconds. The next thing that shot through the air was not an arrow, but a piercing command, ‘’STOP!’’ hearing his brother’s voice made Johan practically drop his blade.

‘’ARIS!’’ came a man’s voice that made the bandits drop their weapons and part. The battle had gone on for such a short time that no one was dead – there were a few of Artemis’ arrows sticking out of a few limbs, a bunch of minor cuts, but nothing serious… When Johan glimpsed his youngest brother, half-running through the crowd, he could have wept. He was in bandit clothing, but he looked unharmed. He was _alive_. He marched right up to Merina, who was on top of Kaen, her blade raised high, pointed at Kaen’s throat, ready to strike, and yanked her back by her collar. She stumbled, looking startled and furious, but Aris didn’t spare her a glance. He extended a hand to Kaen, who clasped it and let his brother pull him to his feet. They stared at each other for a few seconds. How long had it been? Aris had been gone for most of spring and the beginning of summer…too long.

‘’Aris…’’ Kaen breathed, sudden relief flooding his features as he grabbed the back of his neck, pulling their foreheads together. He was staring at him with a mixture of disbelief and love, ‘’you’re okay…’’ Aris gripped his forearm tightly, as if he was not planning on letting him go for the next few decades. Johan had never seen Kaen so emotional in all of Kaen’s twenty three years, but now he looked like he might cry.

But then the Bandit King stepped forward and Johan had no doubt that he was Bane. He commanded as much respect as Merina, even more. Before anyone could react, before his soldiers could level their weapons, he grabbed Aris’ forearm in a strong grip and pulled him back, away from his brother. Aris whirled on him, trying to get his arm out of his grip, ‘’get off me, Bane.’’ He snapped. Finally the soldiers raised their weapons in warning.

Johan finally found his voice, ‘’give me back my brother.’’

Bane’s eyes were feral. If the tales of the first wolf-people rang true then Bane must have been a direct descendant, ‘ _’he’s mine._ ’’ He growled.

‘’Not without a bite,’’ this came from May, who was wiping blood from her lip – an injury he didn’t remember giving her.

Johan begun in his brother’s direction. Goddamn negotiations – he was done playing nice, ‘’in the name of the crown, give back the Prince or die.’’

Bane grinned, ‘’I don’t answer to your crown,’’ and, before Johan could reach him, he whipped Aris around and easily slid his mouth against his neck. Aris’ blue eyes widened for one second, pure terror swirling in them, and then he bit his lip and dropped his head to stop himself from screaming as Bane bit him, hard. Johan stopped dead. He heard Kaen screams something, saw him restrained by Kay and Nav, saw Serafin clamp a hand over his mouth, saw Artemis look away, the look of defeat on his face. He turned back to Bane and Aris, not believing what he just witness. Bane had withdrawn, his lips stained with a small amount of blood which he wiped away with his wrist. The mating bite was pronounced on the junction between Aris’ shoulder and neck, bright red. Bane finally released his arm, ‘’Aris,’’ his voice was calm, ‘’you can say goodbye to your brothers, before they kindly leave.’’

Aris finally raised his head. He rarely cried, never in front of strangers, but now his eyes were swimming with tears, because he knew what this meant. He didn’t try to touch the bite, which must have hurt a lot. He didn’t even dare go to his family. Johan went to him, grabbing his elbows and looking into his eyes, ‘’Aris, I’ll find a way. I won’t let them keep you here,’’ he said, but he felt himself break inside. Never had Aris looked so weak, so broken. Aris was the strong one. Elentina was emotional, Kaen closed himself off, Johan got frustrated easily and Mihai cried over the smallest things, but Aris was always there with a joke, a grin or a tease to make them feel better. And now he was the one about to cry and Johan didn’t know how to be the strong one, ‘’I swear.’’

Aris shook his head. His eyes were empty, and he couldn’t look at Johan, ‘’you can’t…’’ his voice was tiny, shaking, ‘’you’ll start a war. Now that he’s…he’s…I can’t go home,’’ the realisation seemed to hit him and the first tears spilled down his cheeks, ‘’I can’t ever go home now.’’

‘’That’s not true!’’ Johan said heatedly, ‘’we’re not leaving you here.’’

‘’Enough. Leave, now,’’ Bane ordered.

Johan pulled Aris into a very quick, very firm hug, ‘’I love you,’’ he whispered, releasing him.

‘’Johan…’’ Aris’ voice broke as Johan turned around and speed walked to his horse. He knew if he stayed around Aris for even a few more seconds, he’d do something that would really start a war. As a King, he couldn’t do that. Seeing his brother leave made Aris desperately wish he’d stay, ‘’Please…’’ his weak voice didn’t reach Johan, who got on his horse and sped away from his Calvary, not even looking at him. The soldiers were already turning away.

‘’ARIS!’’ Kaen was still screaming for his brother, trying to fight Kay and Nav off. A sob racked Aris’ body and he clamped his hand over his mouth. He couldn’t watch anymore…

Bane seemed to sense that, because he gently took his wrist, ‘’let’s go home, Aris.’’

As always, the feeling of defeat and emptiness didn’t linger on Aris long and quickly transformed into anger, so hot it burned his insides. He whipped around and put every ounce of his strength into the punch that he delivered to Bane. It was satisfying to watch Bane fall flat on his ass, a look of shock on his face, but it was even more satisfying to turn and run for the forest, away from the mess that had become his life. The wind in his hair and the fact that no one was chasing him gave Aris a sliver of freedom that he so desperately craved.

*~*~*

‘’My lord…’’

‘’Yes?’’

Mihai was sitting on the windowsill of Shay’s office, where Shay was writing letters, not with ink and pen but with black paint and a brush. Mihai liked to watch him write more than he liked walking around by himself or learning Asakurian, so Shay had allowed him to sit quietly in his office. Mihai quickly found out that even when he mastered the language he would not be allowed to deal with matters of state. He was a pretty decoration for the Emperor, through and through. Mihai didn’t mind; he just wanted to be loved by Shay. That’s why he asked.

‘’Why…can’t I sleep in your bed with you?’’

Shay glanced at him over his shoulder, looking confused, his dark hair tied in a high ponytail flipping over his shoulder, ‘’I…understand, not?’’

‘’You don’t understand,’’ Mihai huffed a mirthless laugh and turned back to the window, watching the silent courtyard, ‘’that’s convenient. They’re simple words, my lord. You should understand.’’

Shay flushed at the reprimand, which he understood, and Mihai knew he was being cruel. Shay was trying hard to learn Kai, and he was a busy man. But he understood a great deal by now, so he must have understood what Mihai meant, ‘’forgive me,’’ Shay mumbled and turned back to his writing. Mihai glanced at the delicate floral pattern of his kimono; he was so different from Johan as a sovereign.

‘’I’m your husband; I should share your bed. And I know you don’t like touching people, but aren’t you meant to touch me a little? I don’t think Mohadesh will die if you kiss me once in a while.’’ He sighed. They hadn’t actually kissed, yet. That was definitely abnormal, ‘’Eliha has done it. I receive more affection from your sister than from you.’’

‘’Mihai. I’m working.’’ Shay said gently, not even looking at him.

Mihai sighed again, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against the glass, ‘’aren’t you always?’’ he whispered to himself. He opened his eyes and glanced out at the garden. Living in Asakura proved much less exciting than Mihai had hoped. Firstly, Shay didn’t seem to hold court. The vast palace was reserved for his family, with only servants, guards and his harem around. The silence got to Mihai. Secondly, there were never any balls or celebrations. Sometimes a beautiful girl or boy from the Harem were brought in to play a strange, stringy instrument for hours at a time and that was almost worse. Mihai sat up, looking at the building in question…he hadn’t actually been to the Harem yet. Was he allowed?

Mihai jumped down from the windowsill. He’d opted for wearing a kimono-like top and pants with billowing cuffs, as they were more comfortable than the many layered robes Shay preferred. He started for the doors, deciding that going out and meeting some of his competition would be more productive than brooding in the corner. ‘’Mihai.’’ The Omega stopped by the doors, hand on the sliding doors. Shay glanced up at him shyly, ‘’um…I will see you dinner?’’

‘’ _At_ dinner,’’ Mihai said, smiling gently, ‘’yes. See you then.’’ He closed the doors quietly as to not disturb Shay anymore and walked down the corridor. The floors were not padded with rich carpets like the halls of the palace in Kai, but were made of bare, polished wood. Even in the summer the floorboards remained cold to Mihai’s feet, but going bare-foot was still better than wearing those awful block-like sandals that Mohadesh clomped around in. ‘’ _Shang-Hao,_ ’’ he said to the guards as he stepped outside. It meant ‘good morning’, but it probably sounded funny with Mihai’s accent. Still, he could hold a simple conversation in Asakurian already…except he didn’t have anyone to converse with. The guards bowed to him but did not reply, as mute as ever.

Forcing himself to be cheerful, Mihai walked down the courtyard. He was thankful for Eliha, who sat with him in the evenings, playing Asakurian board-games, teaching him the language and talking about the places she’d visited. But during the day she was busy visiting shrines and friends all over the country, sometimes for a few days, as her stay in Asakura was finite. The cherry trees had gone green, the beautiful pink flowers long gone. Now they were heaping with little black fruits, not yet ripe. He came to a stop outside of the Harem building, not sure if he should go in. There were guards there, too, but they offered no advice. The building itself was huge – he wondered how many people lived inside, their sole purpose being to please Shay. He wondered how many Omegas…

‘’Get out! Idiot! _Kan, kan, wo yao shen_! Come back when you stop being so clumsy! _Baichi_!’’ Mohadesh had thrown open the doors to the Harem so suddenly and violently that she scared Mihai. She was ushering through a small, brown-skinned boy who looked close to tears. He wore the golden bracelets and necklaces and soft silk that most of the concubines wore. Since the palace was one-storey high, Mihai had only glimpsed what was behind the actual Harem building – gardens and ponds, a laundry room, a kitchen…it was like the Harem was a little town in itself, which was why he so rarely saw its inhabitants.

Mohadesh spotted him standing there, and looked between him and the boy, like he couldn’t decide who was worse. Eventually she bowed to her Emperor stiffly and slid the doors to the Harem shut with a clang. The boy, clearly sensing she didn’t bow to him, turned and scrambled to his knees atop the stairs when he spotted Mihai. He pressed his forehead to the floor in prostration, ‘’your majesty!’’ he exclaimed in Kai. His accent was perfect and Mihai’s heart fluttered at the prospect of speaking with someone from home.

‘’Oh, please, stand!’’ he said quickly, and the boy did. Mihai smiled at him brightly, ‘’what is your name?’’

‘’Karim, majesty!’’ the boy gushed.

‘’Karim. It’s a lovely name,’’ Mihai said kindly, ‘’so, what did you do to make Mohadesh angry?’’

‘’Ah,’’ Karim rubbed his black hair, which cupped fell to his jaw and cupped his chin, sheepishly, ‘’I tripped over a pail of water when I was washing the floors, and soaked the walls.’’

Mihai remained smiling, ‘’since you don’t seem to be busy right now…would you mind going on a walk with me?’’

Karim’s eyes sparkled, ‘’you want to walk with _me_ , majesty?’’

He could have told Karim to call him by his name, but he found he enjoyed having a title. When Mohadesh called him ‘majesty’ she said it like a curse word, and Mihai only called him by his first name, ‘’yes. It’s lovely to speak to someone from my country.’’

Karim bound down the stairs excitedly and fell into step with Mihai. He was younger than him, perhaps seventeen years of age, ‘’truth be told, I was born in Moriya. But I’ve travelled all over.’’

‘’Really? How did you end up scrubbing floors in the Harem?’’

Karim shrugged, smiling and looking ahead as they ventured into the carefully-tended gardens, ‘’I’ve only arrived a few days ago, to tell you the truth, my lord. In the Harem you start from the bottom and climb up, but the people at the top are so vicious I think I’d rather stay scrubbing the floors.’’

They both laughed at that, ‘’who is at the top, then?’’

‘’Only women!’’ Karim exclaimed, like he couldn’t wrap his head around it, ‘’I think maybe the Emperor prefers them.’’

‘’Oh…’’ Mihai’s heart sank, ‘’…that would explain many things,’’ like why he didn’t know how to consume their marriage…because Mihai was a man. Karim must have realised what that meant because he sent him a sympathetic smile. Mihai cleared his throat, ‘’s-so, tell me about your travels.’’

They stopped under a cherry tree, where a wooden bench had been built, and sat at it. Karim looked down at his hands; they were small and nut-brown, ‘’I was born in Moriya, but my parents and I moved to Salar when I was five years old. There…when the royal family was slaughtered, we tried to get out of the country. During that time the Salarian people thought war was coming and in a flood of mass panic tried to get from Salar back to Moriya or to Kainan.  Our boat reached the Island of Capadonia safely but under the flood of refugees we were turned away, and on the way back our boat sank. I was picked up by Sahrian fishermen and spent a few years in Sahr. I started my training as a courtesan there and finished it on the coast of Asakura.’’

‘’I’m sorry for your loss,’’ Mihai said, ‘’but you really have been everywhere! Can you speak any other languages?’’

‘’Languages are my speciality,’’ Karim beamed, and demonstrated.

Mihai clapped, laughing, ‘’that is amazing! Simply amazing! You have perfect accents!’’ an idea bloomed in his head, ‘’would you…mind teaching me Asakurian? The princess does it in the evenings, but she is seldom here. I’d like a proper teacher, who does not scream and rage, like Mohadesh. It would help you get away from chores for a few hours,’’

Karim grabbed his hand, ‘’really? Would you really want me to teach you?’’ he gushed, as excited as a child. He dropped Mihai’s hand, realising what he had done, ‘’oh, forgive me, majesty…’’

‘’It’s alright,’’ Mihai laughed and took his hand, ‘’I will be in your care from now on.’’

‘’Gosh, Karim!’’ in their excitement they had not noticed a parade of women approach till they were upon them. At the head was a beautiful, sleek, tall lady with hair of pale gold and blue eyes outlines with pink. Her lips, stained red, were pierced in two places. In her elaborate hair was a beautiful head piece, finished with a rose made with rubies, ‘’don’t you know you shouldn’t touch royalty unless requested!’’ Karim withdrew his hands as if burned. The ladies giggled behind their hands. One was holding an umbrella under the pale-haired beauty. She spoke Asakurian, so Mihai had to strain to understand her, ‘’you must forgive him, your majesty. Oh, I don’t believe we have been formally introduced,’’ the woman curtsied and Mihai stood up, quickly bowing, ‘’I am Lady Iomana, at your service, you majesty.’’

Mihai’s felt elevated – so there was a court here after all! His eyes slid from Iomana’s beautiful face to her stomach, which bulged with pregnancy, ‘’oh, Lady Iomana, you are with child! Many blessings!’’ he exclaimed in his broken Asakurian.

Iomana didn’t react to his pathetic attempt at her language. Although she was not of Asakurian parents, she seemed to have been born here, ‘’My thanks, your majesty.’’

‘’Your majesty, Lady Iomana is Emperor Shayan’s favourite concubine,’’ one of the ladies offered in Kai.

Sudden realisation made Mihai’s eyes go back down to Iomana’s bulging stomach and when he looked up, Iomana’s smile, which had seemed kind at first, looked more like a snigger, ‘’his majesty’s first born!’’ she touched her head-piece, switching to Kai, ‘’he was so overjoyed when I told him that he gifted me this. Isn’t it beautiful?’’

‘’Yes. Beautiful.’’ Mihai said through a closed throat.

‘’Well, we shouldn’t bother his majesty any longer,’’ Iomana commanded and the ladies curtsied, ‘’I hope to see you around, my lord,’’ and they swept away in a burst of giggles.

Feeling suddenly weak, Mihai collapsed back onto the bench next to Karim, staring at the disappearing entourage with disbelief. Karim grabbed his hand again, holding it in his own, ‘’do not worry, your majesty! Her child will only be a bastard. Your first born will be the next Emperor.’’

Although he knew Karim was trying to make him feel better, Mihai felt like breaking down all over again. They hadn’t even had sex properly so there was no chance of a pregnancy and when Iomana gave birth, Shay would fall even more in love with her. It didn’t matter that he was an Omega – he was a man, childless and she was a beautiful woman bearing his first child. He slipped his hand from Karim’s and smiled sadly, ‘’let’s start our lessons tomorrow.’’

‘’Yes! Of course, my lord!’’ Karim said eagerly.

Mihai smiled at him again and then, feeling for the first time since he emerged from his rooms the need to be alone, he rushed to his rooms. To make matters worse, when he entered there was a letter on the bed, written in Johan’s script, sealed with his ring. And the news were not good. As Mihai read, he really did break down.

_Dear Mihai,_

_I cannot bear to write in detail, but I did promise to let you know about matters regarding Aris. We had found him with the Bandit King in the mountains, but after a short confrontation he gave Aris the bite. As it is against law’s nature to separate soulmates, we left empty handed. I promise you, however, that I will do everything I can to return our brother to us._

_I love you with all my heart, your brother,_

_King Johan Idan of House Hyndestane_


	11. The Madam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG guys I've recieved so much love, thank you so much!  
> I've gotten so many comments saying what you guys like - thank you so much! It helps a lot because I know what to zero-in on for the next chapters. Please continue to comment~

Johan was so angry, so frustrated, that when they returned in the morning to the palace he couldn’t even look at his husband. Of course Serafin stuck to him like glue, trying to make sure he was okay, ‘’Johan…Johan, wait…’’ Serafin fought to catch up with the King’s long strides.

‘’Serafin, I don’t want to talk right now,’’ Johan snapped at him when he finally reached him. He didn’t look at the redhead.

‘’I know,’’ Serafin didn’t sound offended, which Johan was grateful for, ‘’I was just going to say…you should probably write to Elentina and Mihai. You promised them you would.’’

‘’I promised I would when I got Aris back,’’ Johan said bitterly, but he slowed, ‘’but I will. I will, just, right now…’’

‘’Your majesty,’’ a servant boy bowed when Johan came around the corner, ‘’your mother wants to see you in her office.’’

Johan nodded and glanced at Serafin. He was so disappointed with himself, with his inability to protect the people he loved, that he couldn’t stand to be around his husband at that point, ‘’go and rest, Finn.’’ Serafin dropped his eyes and stood there for a second, before bowing and quickly walking back from where they came. Did Johan hurt his feelings? He shook his head – he couldn’t think about that now. He made his way upstairs to his mother’s office, connected to the her chambers, where he had come countless times to get an earful for playing in the mud or hurting one of his siblings when they were play-fighting. But when he entered, Magnon was not alone. Johan’s mouth dropped open, ‘’…grandmother!?’’

Heba of House Artoir, Duchess of Aldhard and mother of Queen Magnon, raised an eyebrow at her grandson. Johan hadn’t seen her for over a year, and yet she hadn’t changed much. Despite being over sixty she stood straight and tall. The wrinkled in her face were more profound than Johan remembered and her dark hair was styled upwards, the grey streaks dyed dark blue, ‘’Johan. Or should I say, your majesty.’’

‘’Don’t.’’ Johan said shortly. Heba was even more no-nonsense than his mother and she inclined her head.

‘’Very well.’’

‘’What are you doing here?’’

She swept her winkled hands to encompass the room, ‘’why, I came to deal with this mess,’’ her eyes narrowed, ‘’the Hermes you sent ahead of your party has notified us of the fact that Aris has not been retrieved. Well, myself and my mercenaries will quickly clean this up.’’

Johan shook his head. He felt so tired. So useless, ‘’the Bandit King claimed Aris as his mate with a bite.’’

Magnon gasped, her black veil billowing lightly while Heba inhaled sharply, ‘’so it is true,’’ she said tightly. She turned to Magnon and placed a hand on her shoulder, ‘’do not worry, dear. We will find a way. Our armies combined will be much more persuasive than the hundred men you took with you.’’

‘’It is not possible, grandmother! We cannot be at war with the Bandits, not with Rehan still unable to negotiate peace with Moriya. We must find a different way to bring Aris home.’’

‘’Then we will,’’ Heba said sternly, ‘’but there are many more problems you have created for yourself, my young king. There are rumours of the heir of House Aldane being mad. If his reputation is tarnished, your off springs will have to fight for the throne.’’

‘’Don’t talk about Serafin like that,’’ Johan snapped. His fatigue was making him irritable.

‘’Very well. That is the least of our problems, currently. Queensport, which is used directly to bring trade goods inland from Capadonia, is still burned to the ground and you have made no attempt to repair it. That is fair enough, considering you must prepare your men for possible war but my mercenaries may very well start the reparations. Then there are the rest of your siblings. Elentina, married to an ancient man who likely will not live another year, and Mihai, married to an Emperor whose mistress is pregnant with his first born. Did you know that?’’

‘’No, I did not,’’ Johan said through clenched teeth.

‘’We may have peace currently, but what about when King Sava dies? It is unlikely Elentina will keep ahold of the throne, not without an heir, which is unlikely. If the Emperor of Asakura legalises his bastard…’’

‘’He won’t.’’

‘’…then Mihai’s position in Asakura will be compromised. You will have no influence in either country and no firm allies against Moriya, should war come. Furthermore, there seems to be an assassin in our midst, targeting not only your life but the life of your spouse. House Hyndestane must live. Our dynasty has ruled this country for millennia and I will not stand while the family’s representatives are killed one by one, especially since Elentina now technically belongs to House Morgade and Mihai to House Aradhaya.’’

‘’I know all this already!’’ Johan exploded.

‘’But you’re not doing anything about it,’’ Heba countered.

‘’Yes, well, I’m trying. Being King is harder than it looks, but you’d know nothing about it. And I sincerely doubt a handful of sell-swords and a hag will improve our situation,’’ he turned and marched out of the doors.

‘’Johan! Come back here at once!’’ Heba demanded.

Johan turned, ‘’remember who you’re talking to.’’ And then he was gone.

Heba sighed and seemed to deflate on in herself. She turned to her daughter, ‘’you’ve raised a strong young man, but he is not ready to be King.’’

‘’He will learn. This is how they all learn,’’ Magnon put her face in her hands and rubbed the black material against her cheeks, ‘’except no King has had this shaky of a start to his reign.’’

‘’Well, lucky for him, he also had strong allies all around him,’’ Heba said, and the thin line of her mouth softened, ‘’I will pray to Bela for the boy. May she protect our King, like she has with Kings since the beginning of time.’’

*~*~*

‘’You wanted to see me, your majesty?’’ Nav entered Odion’s office – now Johan’s – uncertainly.

Johan forced a smile, ‘’Nav, come in.’’

Nav had never been confident in his abilities and he approached cautiously, bowing when he reached the wooden desk before sliding into the chair opposite Johan, ‘’is this about our failed expedition?’’

‘’No,’’ Johan said quickly. He didn’t want to talk about that, still. His frustration about the situation had deflated after the talk with Heba once he sparred with Kaen and Kay for a while. Now he just felt empty, ‘’this is about Elentina.’’

‘’Elen?’’ Nav blinked, ‘’is she okay?’’

‘’Yes, very well, actually. I sent letter to her and Mihai yesterday about the…expedition, so I suppose she won’t be for very long. That’s why I’m sending you to her as well.’’

‘’Me?’’ Nav said, shocked, ‘’to Sahr? But, majesty, what about Mor? I’ve no family and I am the Duke…’’

‘’The crown will hold your lands while you are gone and restore them to you immediately upon your return, with an added salary.’’ Johan leaned forward, ‘’Nav, I trust you. My father trusted you, too. He could have gifted Mor to a powerful family but he gave it to you, because he knew you could handle it single-hadedly,’’ Nav flushed at the compliment, his brown skin going red ‘’you were Elentina’s best friend and confidante when she was here. You will appease her in the face of our…failure,’’ he swallowed hard. It was getting harder and harder to mention it, ‘’I have corresponded with the King of Sahr since she left and he will happily welcome an ambassador from Kainan.’’

‘’Except that’s not my only job…’’ Nav glanced up, ‘’is it?’’

‘’No,’’ Johan sat back, ‘’you have to warn Elentina that she must give Sava an heir to secure her bond to the throne after his death, or you must help her find a different way. I doubt Rehan, for all his good ways with words, will secure peace with Moriya. It is a violent country and they want war, and therefore we need allies. Sava is a good man but whoever succeeds him may be as bad as King Izyan, or worse, so we need the successor to be Elentina.’’

Nav smiled softly, ‘’the princess is the most stubborn person I have ever met. I doubt I can convince her.’’

‘’Maybe,’’ Johan gave him a grin, ‘’but if anyone can, it’s going to be you.’’

Nav stared at his hands for a moment, fiddling with the long fingers that so rarely held a sword, his wavy hair falling into his eyes, ‘’I’ll do it, your majesty,’’ he said finally, raising his head, ‘’for my country and for Elen.’’

‘’You’re a good man, Nav,’’ Johan smiled, passing him a stack of papers, ‘’you depart by the end of the week on the first ship to Sahr.’’

They talked details for nearly two hours after and when Johan was finally left alone, it wasn’t for long. He pressed the balls of his palms into his eyes, sighed, and stayed like that. He heard the doors open quietly but didn’t bother looking up. He felt Serafin’s skinny arms come around his neck, his nose nuzzled into his hair and he relaxed immediately, ‘’I think my King is overworking himself,’’ he whispered, leaning over the chair to hug Johan harder.

‘’I don’t think this King is working hard enough,’’ Johan murmured. He took Serafin’s hand from around him and drew him around, till he plopped in his lap. Serafin tucked his hands around Johan’s cheeks, stroking his cheekbones with his thumbs, ‘’Finn…’’ he whispered, wrapping his arms around his waist. Serafin was looking down on him with half-lidded eyes, ‘’Forgive me for treating you like that. I was just…I was…’’

‘’I know,’’ Serafin kissed his forehead. ‘’I know, my love.’’

‘’Yes. It seems you always know what I feel,’’ Johan closed his eyes, burying his face in Serafin’s chest, ‘’how do you do that?’’

‘’Would you be angry if I told you you’re easy to read?’’ Serafin laughed into his hair.

‘’No. I could never be angry at you.’’ Johan reached for a letter that he had sealed a few minutes before his meeting with Nav, with his ring, ‘’for you. As an apology.’’

Serafin looked surprised, taking the letter uncertainly, ‘’what is it?’’

‘’The contracts stating that Rethymon and Darien are now yours.’’

Serafin stared at Johan for a long minute, before extending the letter back to him, ‘’Johan. I love you. I don’t need you to gift me land for me to forgive you. I wasn’t angry in the first place.’’

Johan gently folded his hand over the envelope, ‘’please. These were my sister’s lands but now that she is gone, I need to give them to someone. There is no-one I trust more than you,’’ he kissed the hand folded over the letter, ‘’please take it. I want to give it to you.’’

‘’No, Johan, I don’t want to rule…’’

‘’It’s not ruling,’’ Johan held him in place on his lap when the King tried to get up, ‘’it’s…overseeing. I…I want you to have something of your own, lest something happens to me.’’

‘’Nothing will happen to you,’’ Serafin said immediately, ‘’we are going to grow old together.’’

‘’Yes. But it would give me peace of mind.’’ Johan coaxed gently.

‘’Alright. Thank you. I will take them,’’ finally Serafin smiled a little, ‘’but don’t worry. I’ll protect you.’’

Johan grinned, ‘’I thought I was protecting you?’’

‘’We can protect each other,’’ Serafin said confidently, dropping a kiss on top of Johan’s head.

*~*~*

Bane would have lied if he’d said he wasn’t worried about Aris. He was. After he ran off, he’d been gone the whole night. Roshni had advised that he left him alone when he didn’t come back, and he’d spent a long, sleepless night worrying about him. It must have been summer, but they were in the mountains where the weather was as treacherous as it’s inhabitants. Plus, there were bears and wolves…the only thing that kept Bane from rushing into the dark forest to look for his mate was the knowledge that Aris had his blades. But as soon as sun rose, Bane was out of the caves, climbing down the mountain. He didn’t bother with breakfast and carried only a fur cloak for Aris, who must be freezing by this point. He wandered through the dew-covered forest full of birdsong for a good half hour before he found Aris. He was leaning against a large tree, knees tucked to his chest, forehead against them, arms wrapped around his head, sleeping. His arms were covered with goose-bumps and his hair with dew, so it shimmered like diamonds.

Bane went down on one knee and threw the fur over Aris’ shoulders. The boy roused from his sleep immediately and glanced up at Bane. When he saw him, he inhaled so sharply Bane felt guilty, and scrambled backwards. He winced and pressed his fingers to the throbbing mating bite, which was crusted with blood, ‘’let’s go, Aris. You must be cold and hungry,’’ Bane whispered, reaching for him. Aris jerked back, his eyes glaring fire at him. Bane sighed and sat on the damp grass, ‘’I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…okay, I did mean to bite you, but only because they were taking you away from me. I wasn’t going to bite you until you were ready – if I did, I would have bitten you that first time you tried to run away, wouldn’t I?’’ Aris curled away from him, still glaring. Bane sighed, ‘’okay, fine. I took you away from them first but…gods, Aris, I’m impulsive. I’m sorry, but I am. It doesn’t justify anything, I know. You have every right to be angry, I…’’ Aris turned his head to the side, away from him.

‘’You don’t have to be confined to the mountain. You don’t even have to help us with the…bandit things,’’ Bane said quickly, shuffling forward, trying to coax Aris to look at him, ‘’and you can visit home, of course. As long as you come back to me.’’ Aris still remained silent, ‘’Aris, say something!’’ Bane yelled finally, his voice raw, ‘’I can’t take it…’’ he added in a whisper.

Aris stood, letting the fur drop from around his shoulders, and begun his walk back to the mountains. Bane took the cloak from the ground and scrambled to follow him.

*~*~*

_Kaen and Johan,_

_You’re more stupid than I thought. How could you let Aris go like that. If I’d been there, I would have fought every single one of those bandits until they gave up my brother. They better thank the gods I wasn’t there._

_Get him back._

_Your sister,_

_Queen Consort Elentina_

Kaen crumpled the letter in his hand, cursing. He’d wanted to fight; it was Johan who let Aris go. Of course he couldn’t blame him; he was King, and Kings had more to think about than their desires. But Kaen was still angry, and frustrated. Maybe that’s why he’d done it.

‘’What are you thinking, Kaen!?’’ Ilia demanded, marching into his bedchamber. It was the first time Kaen had seen him angry, and it was strangely satisfying.

‘’Hm?’’

‘’Don’t act innocent,’’ Ilia shoved his chest, hard, but Kaen didn’t even stumble backwards, ‘’you made Jhoka my governess!’’

‘’Yes, I thought that maybe you could learn some manners,’’ Kaen caught Ilia’s wrist before he could push him again, ‘’like perhaps greeting your lord husband, before screaming your head off like a madman.’’

Ilia tried to yank his wrist out of his grip, ‘’I am not a child! I have had the finest education in Moriya. You can’t degrade me like that…’’

‘’I see you have been dressed properly as well,’’ Kane interrupted him, amused and taunting. Indeed, Ilia was no longer dressed in the colourful Moriyan clothes, but a one-colour Kai tunic and pants. Kane frowned; somehow they took from his charm, ‘’I don’t like them. Take them off.’’

‘’I don’t care what you like,’’ Ilia snapped, his cheeks flooding with colour. He glared at Kaen while the prince watched him with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk.

‘’Please, do keep acting like a child throwing a tantrum.’’

Ilia jerked back, like he’d been snapped and, slowly, his face went back to neutral. It was lovely, it really was. His fingers wandered over to the strings of his tunic and he pulled them free, never breaking eye contact. He let the top of the tunic open and slid his fingers seductively over the sliver of revealed, smooth skin before pulling the tunic over his head. Kaen watched him the entire time. Once the tunic was off, Ilia dropped it on the floor and hooked his thumbs into the pants, pulling them off slowly, slowly. He managed to balance himself on one foot to pull the pants off, then on the other. Without wasting time, he slipped off his undergarments and stood in the middle of the bedchamber, stark naked, not even flushing anymore. Kaen’s eyes swept down his body, despite himself, ‘’better?’’

Kaen’s eyes flicked back to Ilia’s golden eyes, ‘’much.’’

Ilia smirked to himself, sauntering over slowly. Kaen felt his throat go dry and his pants become suddenly tight. He did not back down, even when Ilia reached him and pressed his naked body to his, ‘’is that your leg, or are you just happy to see me?’’

‘’Get on the bed,’’ Kaen ordered.

‘’No,’’ Ilia placed his hands daintily on Kaen’s shoulders and pushed him down till he was sitting on the bed. Kaen looked startled. Ilia had avoided him since they consummated their marriage, but now he was initiating something… ‘’today you listen to me.’’ Before Kaen could react, Ilia pulled down his pants and pulled out his growing erection. Then he went down on his knees, and, like before, flicked his tongue against the tip. ‘’just relax,’’ he murmured, the vibrations of his voice running down his shaft, followed by his tongue. Kaen’s breath came out shaky as he drew his mouth back up, swirling his tongue against the tip, before he opened his mouth and took him in, inch by inch. Kaen hissed and, for the first time in a long time, flushed.

‘’Ilia, wait…’’ he was amazed that Ilia did not gag this time as his mouth hit the base. Kaen groaned when Ilia begun bobbing his head up and down. He couldn’t find his voice as Ilia continued to work his mouth on him, not getting the least bit tired, till Kaen finally came. Ilia took it, and swallowed, before wiping his mouth with his fingers. Kaen was still breathing hard but he managed to shuffled back into his pants. He felt a flutter of emotion, staring down at Ilia, still on his knees, naked, and he tried to force it down, ‘’put some clothes on. I don’t feel like looking at Moriyan whores any longer,’’ he snapped and left the room, even though he felt his need grow stronger. A desire for Ilia. A desire so strong he nearly turned back. He forced himself to keep walking. Ilia was trying to get something out of him, maybe make him feel this so he’d give in to his wish to war with his country. But Kaen would not do anything Ilia wanted him to do. No, Ilia would spend time with Jhoka, learning how to be a proper Prince in the eyes of the Kai people, he’d continue to sleep in separate chambers and he would please Kaen when he felt like it.

Kaen reached the stables by the time his thoughts wandered off to children. His stallion was called Baylor and he, contrasting with Kaen, was the calmest horse in the stables. He came as a pair with Johan’s horse, Aherin, for their sixteenth and fourteenth birthday from their father. Kaen felt a pang of hurt go through his heart as he watched Baylor, calm in his stall next to Chevalier, Elentina’s dark brown stallion and Llamrei, Aris’ light brown mare. They stared at him with big, accusing eyes as if to ask _where is my master? Where is my mistress?_ Kaen couldn’t take it.

 As he mounted Baylor, he felt the nagging worry that had stayed with him for days increase. He and Ilia had consummated the marriage and Kaen had no idea if Ilia had taken the potion to kill whatever life might have begun in his stomach. He hoped he had – if Ilia had his child, it would serve as a physical reminder of their marriage bond, a bond that couldn’t be broken till death. Kaen promised himself he’d be more careful when satisfying his needs using Ilia. But the worry wasn’t just for that. Their first time had been…almost brutal. Nothing prince-like or delicate about it and, for all his words and schemes, and for all of Kaen’s insults, Ilia was still an inexperienced child. Kaen knew he should have been gentler, even if Ilia was a thorn in his side, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologise and Ilia had finally appeared to have forgotten about the whole affair.

Kaen’s horse trotted out of the palace gates and into Queensbane, through the well-known cobblestones. People glanced at the man in fine clothes, on a milky-white horse. Some begged for coins, but Kaen ignored then completely till he reached the backstreets of Queensbane, where the people seemed to disappear upon spotting a royal. He stopped at the back doors of a brothel, where the music, laughter and clink of goblets seeped through the cracks. He knocked twice, short and to the point. A servant girl opened, looking startled upon seeing him. He tossed her a gold coin, placing the reigns of Baylor in the other hand and disappeared inside without a word.

Madame Vladana was not hard to spot. Her hair the colour of pale gold was up in a crazy hairdo and her mouth was a slash of red. Her dress was long but hugged her curves, and the dip revealed her large breasts partly. She held a tray of mulled wine in one hand while flirtingly waving the other around. Men and women alike crowded around her, but many occupied the tables in the corners, some behind satin curtains. The whole place was filled with pipe-smoke and the reek of alcohol. Golden-girls and golden-boys of every shape, size, colour and origin littered about, pleasing customers right there where everyone could see. Kaen was used to it by now.

‘’Adamon!’’ she squealed, instructing a girl to replace her at the table she had been amusing with a wave of hand before rushing over to Kaen between the tables. The Madam of the brothel knew he was some kind of royal, maybe knew he was the prince, but she had conformed to his request to call him by his second day the first time he visited the _Pale Parlour_ , and his identity remained largely anonymous. Which is why he allowed her to kiss both his cheeks with her coloured lips, ‘’I haven’t seen you for too long!’’ she gushed.

‘’Oh, you know,’’ he smirked and wave a hand carelessly, ‘’I got married.’’

Madame Vladana gasped, ‘’oh you delicious, bad boy!’’ she said seductively, ‘’well, your husband must not be very pleasing, then! What can I get for you today? Or, rather, who?’’ she winked her heavily-coloured lid.

Kaen hesitated, ‘’do you have a boy from Moriya? With black hair, preferably.’’

‘’A Moriyan? That’s different to your usual tastes,’’ but she shrugged, ‘’it’s good to try new things, Adamon! And I have just the perfect match for you! Private room?’’

‘’Always,’’ Kaen smiled gratefully as she led him past tables and through the doors next to the serving bar, that hung with a beaded curtains. She led him up rickety wooden stairs to the upper floors, where rooms were separated by walls and not satin. Despite not being very luxurious, Vladana’s goldens provided the best service – all of Queensbane knew so. Kaen sat on the edge of the small bed. He had long stopped feeling nervous during these things, and he desperately needed to let out his frustration.

He was hugely disappointed with the boy who walked in. He was small, but not curved like Ilia, but rather skinny as a child. Yes, he was a darkie with black hair, but his eyes were a dull brown, his nose straight and thin, not button-like, as Ilia’s was, and he was much darker than him too… Kaen shook his head. He would _not_ compare his lovers to that bastard, ‘’do not worry, my lord,’’ the boy purred with sexuality so profound Kaen actually felt a little sickened, ‘’I will take the potion afterwards, and I will show you a good time.’’

‘’No need. We won’t be going that far,’’ Kaen said coldly, unbuckling his belt. He didn’t ask the boy his name. Suddenly this didn’t feel as good of an idea, but he would not back down, ‘’get on your knees.’’ The boy curiously obeyed him and watched with shining eyes as Kaen pulled out his manhood, ‘’open your mouth.’’

The boy gave a low smile and obediently opened his mouth. He went further, licking the top, ‘’what would you like me to do, my lord?’’

‘’Isn’t that obvious?’’ Kaen felt irritated. He wanted this over with but he did not feel aroused any longer, ‘’suck it.’’ He knew that what Ilia had done to him twice now wasn’t common practice, even among whores, but he liked it. A lot. But the boy was no good at it. He sucked with vigour, using his tongue, but he felt… _different_ to Ilia. He couldn’t suck him into an erection. Kaen looked down, trying to envision the black hair curling lightly, the little braid slapping against his cheek as his head bobbed, but he couldn’t and he knew this wasn’t going anywhere, ‘’enough,’’ Kaen snapped and when the boy withdrew he pulled his pants back up again. The boy looked hurt. Kaen produced a few gold coins from his vest and tossed them to him, which seemed to lessen his anger and disappointment. Feeling as if he could somehow make up to Ilia by being kind to this boy, he added, ‘’it wasn’t you fault. I just…’’ but he couldn’t finish, so he left quickly and half-ran downstairs.

‘’Finished already?’’ Vladana’s eyebrows raised all the way to her forehead.

‘’I…yes.’’ Kaen cleared his throat, ‘’I don’t think I’ll come here for a while.’’ Maybe never, he added in his mind.

But Vladana nodded, ‘’marriage is a strange thing,’’ she added mysteriously.

‘’This isn’t about my husband, I just…’’ Kaen sighed, shook his head and unhook the sack full of gold from his belt, giving it to the madam, ‘’for your service through the years. Thank you.’’ And then he left.


	12. The Goddess of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys thank you so much for all the love! Literally, I got 5 reviews today! That is AMAZING!
> 
> SeamoreRed - you have no idea how much your review made me grin. I live for long reviews like that. I love how Ilia is literally trying to kill Kaen but you're just like 'nah, they just need to have a chat' xD I hope to hear which ship you like the best when you figure it out! 
> 
> And ya, Asakura is based on Ancient China/Korea/Japan, Moriya is kind of like Ancient Arabia, Kainan is just like Westeros in general from Game of Thrones, Salar is just kind of...Highgarden? Like, they're white but they have really good weather. And Sahr is kind of deserty-ish, warm-ish...just kind of ish, but it's really pretty. 
> 
> Literally 90% of you lot are in pain because of my fic. I'M SORRY! I'll give you band-aids and painkillers, so please keep reading! xD Let's hope the angst turns to happiness soon enough ;)
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much guys! If anyone else has figured out which pairing you like the most/wanna see more of, let me know ;) Enjoy!

Serafin leaned as far back over the marble balcony as he could go, laughing like a child and staring out into the city beyond the walls of the palace. It was mid-summer so even though it was the evening the sky was still tinged pink. Even so the fires for the Hafwen summer ball had been erected and were visible from the palace. They burned high and mighty in the fields in Queensbane, ready for peasant celebrations. One had been built in the gardens of the palace for the court to celebrate, and this one seemed to be larger than all, but was not lit yet. Noble guests had been pouring in for days to attend the festival and Serafin was beyond excited. As he watched Queensbane from a distance, he understood why it was called the City of Lights. No one seemed to be sleeping and there were candles in every single window, lanterns in every tree, transforming the distant city into a sea of twinkling lights.

A strong arm hooked itself around Serafin’s waist and pulled him back, away from the balcony, ‘’careful, you’ll fall,’’ Johan laughed. Serafin turned and his breath caught. His husband was adorned with gold, his head topped with his crown, so he looked like he was a light as well.

‘’I think I’ve already fallen,’’ Serafin murmured, touching his clean-shaven face.

Johan grinned down at him, ‘’you look exquisite.’’

Serafin twirled, making the silver tunic made from coarse, shining material shine and shimmer like the surface of a lake, ‘’do you like it?’’

‘’Of course. Silver is definitely your colour,’’ he produced something from behind him, ‘’here, the finishing touch for my King.’’ Serafin blushed with pleasure when Johan fitted the silver crown around his bright red hair, ‘’there. Come, I have a gift for you before the celebrations start.’’

Serafin protested when Johan pulled him out of the doors and down the corridor, ‘’I told you, you don’t have to gift me! The land is enough…’’

‘’Hey, I want to,’’ Johan grinned at him over his shoulder, ‘’it’s just a small gift, but I want you to have it.’’

‘’You could at least wait till my birth day,’’ Serafin finally laughed.

‘’No way,’’ Johan called and they were finally outside. It was the perfect summer evening, as if given to them by Caroun herself. It was warm and buzzing with energy, but not humid or overly hot and the sky was a goddess’ painting of pink and gold and deep purple. Serafin matched his steps to Johan’s so they were walking together, their hands linked. Courtiers curtsied and bowed as they passed, dressed in their finery. Each one of them seemed to twinkle like a star. They reached the stables – even the squat, wooden building was decorated with fae-light and lampions, ‘’wait here,’’ Johan requested, releasing Serafin’s hand and venturing inside.

Serafin gasped when the King emerged, leading a beautiful golden stallion with a white mane by its reigns. It was a beautiful creature. Johan pressed the reigns into Serafin’s hand. The boy was speechless, staring at the horse, ‘’he just arrived,’’ Johan explained, grinning at Serafin’s awe struck expression, ‘’I saw him and I knew he had to be yours. Fire and gold,’’ he touched a lock of Serafin’s hair appreciatively.

‘’He’s beautiful,’’ Serafin breathed, reaching out a hand. The horse did not jerk back and Serafin placed his hand on it’s wet nose, laughing when the horse angled its head up for more contact. Serafin look at Johan, ‘’thank you.’’ He said earnestly, pulling Johan forward with his free hand to kiss him, ‘’you spoil me too much,’’ he laughed.

‘’You deserve spoiling,’’ Johan kissed him again and moved on to stroke the horse’s side, ‘’what will you name him?’’

Serafin thought for a moment, looking into the stallion’s eyes. Understanding seemed to pass between them, ‘’Destry.’’

‘’Destry?’’ Johan smiled at the sound, ‘’it means something, doesn’t it?’’

‘’Yes. War horse,’’ Serafin stroked Destry’s head.

Johan stopped, ‘’war horse?’’ he asked quietly, ‘’why?’’

‘’Because, if war comes, I will fight for you,’’ Serafin said simply, smiling at his new horse, ‘’and Destry will be my war horse.’’

Before Johan could assure him there would be no war, Kaen appeared from around the stables, ‘’there you are. Mother is looking for you; it’s time to light the fire.’’ Johan looked up; indeed the first star had appeared in the sky.

‘’My handsome lord,’’ Serafin beamed at Kaen. He did look extremely handsome, dressed in a black collared tunic and a jade-encrusted green vest.

‘’Finn,’’ Kaen reached for his hand and pressed a kiss to it, grinning, ‘’you look beautiful, as always.’’

‘’Excuse me,’’ Johan said, glaring at him but quickly grinned.

‘’Oh, did you give him to Finn already?’’ Kaen patted Destry’s muzzle.

‘’He’s beautiful, isn’t he? I named him Destry.’’

‘’War horse? Good name,’’ Kaen approved.

‘’What!? How do you know the meaning, too?’’ Johan demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

‘’I’ve always been better at foreign studies than you,’’ Kaen reminded him cheekily, ‘’Destry was the name of the horse belonging to the first Queen of Salar.’’

‘’Show off,’’ Johan said, but smiled at took the reins, ‘’let’s go before Mother loses her veil.’’

‘’She already has, so you better run,’’ Kaen said casually, taking the reins from him, ‘’I’ll put Destry away.’’

‘’Avoiding a certain someone?’’ Johan called. Kaen didn’t respond and Johan took Serafin’s hand, leading him back towards the gardens. Most of the Kai court were gathered outside already, a mass of shining colours. They parted, bowing, for Serafin and Johan as the approached the giant pyre. The gardens had been completely transformed – the rose bushes were covered in fae-light, the tables set with heaping dishes of food. The grass was sprinkled with glitter so it felt like walking on stardust.

By the pyre stood the royal family, the line-up so different to the festival a year before, Johan thought. His mother, still dressed in a black dress, but one that shimmered and swished as if it was liquid ink, his grandmother, lips pursued tightly, her hair even more extravagant than before, Ilia, radiant as always, and Kaen who strolled in to stand next to him quickly. He must have ran from the stables. Serafin took his place on the other side of Kaen and Johan, for the first time in his life, did not step in line with his family but took a burning torch, like his father had done year-after-year, from a servant and tucked the flames to the dried up straw inside the pure. It burst into flames and the courtiers cheered. Tonight was not a night where one must behave oneself – tonight everyone could go wild, like they always did during festivals and celebrations.

As soon as the pyre was lit, the nobles dispersed to light the smaller pyres around the perimeter of the garden, to flock to the tables and to each other. The musicians’ station on a raised podium in the corner of the garden struck up a merry tune. Not the slow, ordered music of the ballroom but the joyous, village music of summer. Johan felt something drop on his head, over his crown, ‘’cheer up, darling,’’ Jhoka smiled, her silver hair alight with glitter, and Johan touched the flower crown she had dropped over his crown. It was a tradition and when Johan looked around he saw that many of the courtiers had already donned the thick, beautiful crowns of roses and sunflowers the servants were distributing. He looked back at Jhoka to thank her, but she had moved on to place one around Serafin’s silver crown, ‘’what a beautiful custom,’’ Serafin laughed.

The courtiers flocked to the grass clearing to dance, their feet fast, petals twirling to the ground. Johan extended his hand to Serafin, ‘’may I have your first dance?’’

Serafin smiled, ‘’of course you can,’’ he took his hands.

*~*~*  


‘’Well, don’t you look plain?’’ Kaen’s voice was unimpressed. The sky had barely turned full black when he saw Ilia sneak away from the crowd. He caught up with him two steps from the last pyre and his voice stopped Ilia.

He turned. Indeed, he wore plain clothing – a green tunic and brown pants, and no flower crown, like Kaen. Yet he still looked lovely. Perhaps even more so, with no beautiful clothes to rival his face, ‘’unlike you Kai, I prefer not to parade myself like jewels to be bought,’’ his smile was venomous.

‘’Jewels? Don’t worry, you could, at most, be a pebble. Small. Ordinary. Annoying when stepped on. Easily kicked away,’’ Kaen didn’t know where the harsh words were coming from; he just knew he wanted to wipe that smirk off Ilia’s mouth.

‘’Really?’’ Ilia just smiled wider, ‘’say that to all the nobles who can’t stop staring at me.’’

Kaen reigned his anger in with difficulty, ‘’where are you sneaking away to? As part of the royal family, you should be seen at the celebrations.’’

Ilia waved his words away with his hand, ‘’oh, please, the courtiers will be too drunk to distinguish a prince from a servant soon enough. No one will miss me. And I, for once, grow weary of such company. I’d rather have fun somewhere else,’’ he smirked mysteriously, ‘’Queensbane celebrates, does it not? I assure you, their celebration is much more in my taste.’’ He turned and started walking towards the stable, ‘’you can come, if you want.’’ He called, not turning around. Kaen bit his lip, watching Ilia’s back as he walked off into the darkness. He glanced over his shoulder at the garden. He could stay here and drink and dance and be miserable, or he could go and make himself feel better by irritating Ilia. The grass was currently occupied by a small portion of Omegas, their hair silver as moonlight, Jhoka amongst them. The Omega dance…Aris had hated those. He used to dance in it, though, because Mihai made it a point to never dance it with anyone else but his younger brother.

The memory of Aris came with a rush of regret and it decided Kaen’s fate. He whirled around and ran in the direction Ilia had disappeared in. He caught up with his husband in seconds, ‘’I’m coming to keep an eye on you. I don’t trust you.’’

‘’Well, don’t get disappointed when I do nothing but dance and drink,’’ Ilia didn’t seem at all bothered by Kaen tonight. He ventured inside the stables and took hold of the first horse – Llamrei.

‘’Not that one,’’ Kaen caught his wrist and surprised himself when his voice came out softer than intended, ‘’that one is Aris’’’ he walked further into the stables and tapped a stable, ‘’take that one.’’

Ilia, for once, did not argue with him. They took their horses – Ilia the grey, master-less horse Kaen pointed out, and Kaen Baylor. They rode in silence, and Kaen let Ilia lead the way. For once riding into Queensbane after dark was like riding in at day – everything was strung with light, everything was shimmering. Truly a City of Lights. Kaen wished he could see Ilia’s face, maybe impressed for once, but the prince still rode ahead. Kaen could already hear celebrations – shrieking, upbeat fiddler music…he could smell the feast, too. They jumped off their horses a while from the town square and tied them to a post where two others stood, drinking water from a communal bowl, ‘’wait,’’ Ilia stopped Kaen before he could walk towards the town centre. He pointed to his jade-encrusted vest, ‘’take that off. If you look like a prince, you’ll bring trouble.’’ Kaen glared at him, but he knew Ilia was right so he shrugged off the vest and tucked it under Baylor’s saddle. Now it made sense why Ilia was dressed so plainly, ‘’and now, just…’’ Ilia reached up and Kaen was so surprised he didn’t jerk back when Ilia took hold of the ribbon tying his fringe back into his usual ponytail and pulled it loose. His fringe fell into his eyes and Kaen swept it behind his ear, suddenly embarrassed. He knew he looked younger like this, less imposing, but Ilia didn’t seem to notice.

‘’Let’s go!’’ he said, excitedly, and Kaen wondered if he drank already as he quickly walked towards the town centre. All the stores, quarters and houses were closed and locked, but everywhere candles burned. Kaen had always looked at Queensbane during Hafwen from the palace, and it had looked amazing but for the first time he was actually in the capital during the celebrations and it was like stepping into the spirit realm. He was so awed by Queensbane that when they actually reached the centre of the city, he gasped. It was an all-female dance currently. The people of Kainan gathered around, clapping and cheering as the ladies of all ages danced together. They, too, wore flower crowns, fashioned from small field flowers. Nothing as extravagant as the specially-made rose crowns at the palace, and yet they looked so much more real. The trees hung heavy with lanterns and lampions.

Between the two largest pyres, a safe distance away, a throne had been fashioned from spare wood and clay, adorned with flowers and ribbons. It stood empty. There were a few actual bonfires roasting whole pigs and fruits, served with chunks of bread, eaten with fingers, washed down with bitter ale. It said ‘festival’ more than the delicacies served at the palace. Ilia was right – this was the place for him. And for Kaen. The song finished and the villagers clapped, laughing, as the girls parted, returning to their respective groups of friends and family. A new song begun, of a completely different feel than the previous one, a melody Kaen did not recognise, but the villagers cheered, ‘’come on, it’s from home! I want to dance!’’ Kaen turned at the Moriyan accent. A darkie boy of perhaps sixteen was pulling on the sleeves of his friends. They, too, were Moriyan but looked uncertain. They must have been from the Moriyan quarters in the city, Kaen decided.

The boy sighed and dropped the sleeves of his friends. Despite the cheers of the crowds, no one was dancing, but the musicians kept playing the Moriyan tune, ‘’hey!’’ the boy suddenly turned on Ilia, his flower crown nearly flying off. He grinned, ‘’you’re Moriyan, right?’’

Ilia looked at him for a second, before grinning. Before Kaen could stop either of them, they kicked off their shoes. The boy grabbed Ilia’s hand and, barefoot, they ran into the centre of the sun-warmed cobblestones, between the circle of people. Kaen’s attention was captivated solely by Ilia. He’d never seen anyone dance like that – so quickly, like a child, and yet so sensually that he just wanted to… the crowd begun clapping and the boys parted. They each begun skipping down opposite sides of the ring of villagers, hands extended. Kaen watched as a middle-aged woman extended a flower crown and dropped it on Ilia’s curls. Ilia extended his hands to her. She flushed and shook her head, while the people around her teased till finally Ilia grabbed her hands and pulled her into the circle.

Even though she did not know the fast dance, he led her easily enough. The other boy had managed to drag one of his Moriyan friends into the dance and the four of them formed a circle before breaking into a line, going under each other. Ilia broke away from the rest and searched the crowd again. Soon enough the circle of people was broken as the people were dragged into the dance by Ilia’s charm and strong hands. Kaen watched, captivated, as Ilia laughed, earnestly, throwing his head back, unwatched by anyone, being himself. When Ilia scanned the crowd again, hand outstretched, he came to a halt in front of Kaen.

They stared at each other for a second, then two, Ilia’s smile disappearing. Finally he extended his hand to Kaen and Kaen took it after only a second of hesitation. He allowed himself to dance with Ilia, spinning him around, letting himself be spun, dragged into the crowd of people. Ilia didn’t laugh or smile at him. In fact, he kept his head down, almost shyly, but his grip on Kaen was strong. And Kaen wanted to kiss him. He wanted to so badly that when Ilia released him to find a new partner, he nearly caught his hand to pull him back. But then he remembered himself.

He spent the rest of the night drinking, eating and dancing with others. He actually managed to have a little bit of fun, slightly drunk. That is, until Ilia was announced the ‘King of Summer’. The people cheered as the year’s previous Queen, a gorgeous girl with blue eyes, placed a cleverly hafted, huge flower crown on Ilia’s dark hair and sat him on the throne, ‘’and who will you choose as your Queen, your majesty?’’ the previous Queen demanded much to the whistles and whoops of the crowd. Ilia chose the boy from the Moriyan quarters that had dragged him into the dance and placed a loud smooch on his lips. Kaen sobered up. He didn’t feel irritated…he felt angry. He returned to Baylor, leaving Ilia’s horse there, and rode back to the palace, leaving Ilia to come back when he finished kissing strangers.

The sky exploded with black-powder fireworks.

*~*~*

‘’Ah, as far as festivals go, this is very…’’

‘’Not like a festival.’’

‘’Yes,’’ Karim looked at Mihai with a sad smile. Asakura celebrated the festival of the goddess Caroun, albeit her Asakurian version, Li-Hua, in the Li-Lan festival. But the festival was muted and carefully ordered, like everything seemed to be in the Asakurian palace. They were looking out at the celebrations through the window of the kitchen, Mihai half-hidden by the curtains. He had gotten all dressed up, excited by the prospect of black-powder fireworks, drinking and dances. But he’d gotten none of these, even though black powder came from Asakura. But Shay hadn’t even glanced at him for longer than to smile, before the procession begun. They were raised into an uncovered litter, sitting side by side, and paraded through the streets like spoils of war. There was no hand waving and cheering. Instead the streets were lines with Asakurians in kimonos, on their knees, foreheads pressed to the dusty pavement, as they were carried past, a host of soldiers behind them. They were like the guards, perfectly silent and still and Mihai hated it. He spent the whole three hours of the parade staring at his hands in his lap, willing it all to be over.

Now, thanks to the lovely weather, Shay, Eliha and the rest of the court which Mihai had barely glimpsed were gathered in the gardens, listening to Shay’s concubines playing various instruments or sing long, single-note Asakurian songs. Mihai had gotten so bored and stiff-backed from sitting on his cushion that he excused himself for a trip to the privy. He’d gone to the kitchen, where he’d bumped into Karim. The kitchen was empty, most servants out serving snacks and drinks to the court outside, ‘’I miss Kainan,’’ Mihai whispered for the first time since he had arrived in Asakura in Spring, ‘’I hoped it would get easier, but it doesn’t. Not when he’s so cold to me.’’

Iomana was sitting on the pillow brought out by the servant a little farther from Shay than Mihai had sat. Now without Mihai there, he saw them in the distance, whispering between performances. Shay actually placed his hand on her stomach at one point, and he was so sparse with gestures of affection. Mihai’s stomach was in nervous knots, ‘’it must be hard, my lord,’’ Karim said, looking at them, too, ‘’you came here for a husband you didn’t expect you would have to fight for.’’

‘’I don’t know if I want to fight for him,’’ Mihai whispered, ‘’it will cost so much, and for what? A few kind words, a touch here and there, and a bastard child occupying his attention.’’

Karim reached for his hand across the window, ‘’majesty, perhaps a child would avert his attention back to you.’’

Mihai shook his head, tears gathering in his eyes, ‘’no, I…I can’t do it with him. Not when there’s a special chamber for our coupling, not when I can’t fall asleep in his arms later, not when I know that he will be quick about it, wanting to get it over with so he doesn’t have to touch me,’’ he hid his face in his hands, ‘’I just want him to touch me like he loves me. Or at least like me. I know he prefers women but I…I feel like a nuisance…’’

‘’I know how you feel,’’ Karim said softly, ‘’I do not desire your husband, but my life revolves around a single man, that does not pay attention to me. I do not mind that he does, but I imagine it is breaking you.’’ Mihai nodded, trying not to weep like a widow, ‘’if it is any consolation,’’ Karim smiled, ‘’I think you look beautiful today.’’

*~*~*

It was Bane’s birth day and Aris hated it, _this means he is one year closer to death, this means he is one year closer to death_ … he chanted like a mantra, staring at his empty plate. The King of Bandits, now twenty years old, was laughing and drinking, for once not paying attention to Aris, thankfully. There was a roast boar and cakes and ale but Aris did not want any of it. Bane was being fussed over, littered with little good luck charms and blessings. Aris spoke normally to everyone else, albeit with his usual bite, but he still refused to speak to Bane. And it seemed to irritate not only Bane, ‘’really, I thought princes had some manners,’’ Merina said off-handedly, ‘’you could at least wish for him to have a good day.’’

Aris stared at his plate, knowing that if he looked up he’d start a fight with the second-in-command. To his surprise, it was Sylver who stood up for him, ‘’ay, leave him be, Mer,’’ he said, grinning and wiping ale foam from his scratchy chin.

‘’How about we don’t ruin the mood by pickin’ fights?’’ Roshni pleaded, slipping another cake onto Bane’s plate, ‘’it’s Bane’s day.’’

‘’Bet it would be a whole lot better if Aris at least spoke to him,’’ May said over-handedly, grinning.

‘’ _May_!’’ Rai and Mido said together before Roshni could, bursting into laughter. All around Aris bandits were laughing and teasing, offering more and more disgusting suggestions about what Aris could do to make Bane’s day more pleasant. Having had enough, Aris stood and begun walking towards the doors.

‘’Look at him run,’’ Merina said with distaste, ‘’can’t even face you sorry lot.’’

Aris whirled around, ‘’if you have a problem with me, let’s deal with it outside. Right now.’’

Merina snorted, ‘’you’re ten years too early for me, little boy.’’

‘’We’re the same age,’’ Aris snapped, ‘’and you’re half my height.’’

‘’Let’s not fight,’’ Sylver said placating, ‘’come on, Mer, how would ya feel if ya got kidnapped…?’’

 ‘’Can we not say _kidnapped_ ….’’ Roshni begged.

‘’That’s what it was,’’ Aris snapped coldly.

‘’Enough, let him go if he wants…’’ Sylver said, looking around at the bandits gathered around him.

‘’Stop speaking for him, Sylver,’’ this came from Bane and it made everyone else fall silent. Bane was not joking; his voice was cold, ‘’if he wants to stop them talking like that, he needs to protect himself,’’ he glanced up and his eyes met Aris’, ‘’if he wants respect, he’s going to have to earn it. It doesn’t come with his status as prince,’’ he spat the last word like a curse.

Aris made a vulgar sign in his direction and stormed out of the mess hall. Halfway down the cavern corridor, Dieu of all people caught up with him, golden earring shining as he ran up to him, ‘’Aris, wait!’’ he said, grabbing his forearm to keep him in place. Aris turned to him, ‘’listen, I know this is hard…’’

‘’No, you don’t,’’ Aris snapped.

‘’Trust me, I do,’’ he pointed to his earring, ‘’you recognise this, don’t you? Pirate sign. Yeah, I used to be a pirate. What’s the most obvious thing about pirates, other than the fact that they swim around on ships and raid sea towns?’’

‘’They hate bandits…?’’ Aris narrowed his eyes suspiciously, ‘’so why are you here?’’

Dieu grinned, like he didn’t care where he was, ‘’Wiss. He’s my mate.’’

Aris’ mouth fell open, ‘’you’re _what_?’’

Dieu shrugged, ‘’yeah. It took some getting used to. At first I refused to leave my crew, but my captain understood. He hated bandits, but he got it. So he let me go and, after a few stubborn weeks, I finally went to Wiss and joined the bandits,’’ he shrugged again.

‘’Okay, but Wiss didn’t kidnap you again your will.’’

‘’No, he didn’t, but what I’m sayin’ is,’’ Dieu smiled, ‘’sometimes we have to sacrifice our families and loved ones for fate, you know? Who would have thought that today, if they came back for me, I’d tell them to piss right back onto the Ocean, because I’m not leavin’ Wiss and he’s not leavin’ the mountains? He gets sea-sick, you know?’’ he added fondly, ‘’either way, I know it’s hard to leave everything behind, especially since it’s against your will. But I’ve never seen Bane so desperate to…have someone accept him. He’s really trying. Maybe if you talk to him, you’ll figure out how you can be together without you leaving behind your life.’’

‘’But I don’t want to be with him,’’ Aris said, weakly, quietly.

‘’Maybe not now. Maybe not ever. But maybe you will want to be, and you have to figure that out first,’’ Dieu put his hand on Aris’ shoulder, ‘’your family is just down the mountain. Mine left with those ships and I have no idea where they are now. But, as far as families go, this lot is as good as it gets. So just…give him a chance?’’

Aris rubbed his face, ‘’thank you. You’re probably the kindest bandit I’ve met. And Roshni. I admit maybe you aren’t as bad as I first thought,’’ he dropped his hand and met Dieu’s eyes, ‘’but I can’t be with Bane. I just can’t.’’

Dieu dropped his hand, smiling, ‘’we’ll see,’’ he said, turning around and walking back in the direction of the mess hall. Aris trailed himself to his room and sat on the bed. He lay down. He stared at the ceiling. He dug out the letter Ryane had brought to him that morning. He was not allowed to write back – or he was, but Bane would check his letters, which means he couldn’t warn Johan about Ryane. He didn’t want Bane to read his thoughts so he didn’t write back, but letters came. He opened the ripped envelope, a drop of dried wax from the seal falling onto his chest and took out the parchment.

_Little brother,_

_Grandmother has come to Queensbane with her army of mercenaries. We are trying to figure out how to get you out of there, but we are threatened with war. It may take a while, but have faith in us. We’re not leaving you there._

_You should be here though, she’s driving me crazy without someone to chase around the palace._

_I miss you. See you soon,_

_Your brother,_

_Prince Kaen, House Hyndestane._

Aris held the letter to his chest, taking a deep breath. He hoped they would come soon.


	13. The Assassin of Cana Kaale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are on fire with the comments! I'm loving it! Thank you so much!!!
> 
> SeamoreRed - thank you for your constant detailed comments. They actually make my day <3
> 
> zef - ayyy, another GoT fan <3 <3 Thank you so much for your review! & you as well, Lyssaface <3
> 
> Paprika - I'm so glad you like Mihai's storyline! I figured he'd be the least favourite, so I'm happy he's your fav <3
> 
> Kenouille - your vocab is so good, if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have realise you're not a native speaker! Yesssssss it's game of thrones inspired, as I've finally started reading the books, thank you for noticing~ As for the Bane & Aris thing...well, they might get together, they might not, but if they do I will build it up, no worries ;) I hate sudden romances too! 
> 
> Thank you everyone else for your reviews, kudos & bookmarks as well, you guys are absolutey amazing!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this shit storm that's about to unfold :D

‘ _’N-Niao dui… nanhai shio…_ ’’

‘’Shuo.’’

‘ _’Shuo…rugyo za…zhiyou? Ni keyi fei,_ ’’ Mihai exhaled when he finished reading the passage from an old tome of an Asakurian children’s novel. He was a fast learner but his pronunciation was still incorrect. Even so, at least he understood the markings on the parchment, ‘’was that alright?’’

‘’Yes. You’re definitely getting better, my lord,’’ Karim smiled, taking the book from Mihai’s small hands and flipping it shut.

‘’I have a very good tutor,’’ Mihai laughed, pleased. But Karim was much more than that – with Eliha busy, he was Mihai’s consolation and friend. And with his great teaching skills, soon Mihai would be able to have proper conversations with Shay in Asakurian and maybe then Shay would love him more. Or at all.

‘’You are a lovely student to have, majesty,’’ Karim assured and looked out into the garden, growing hotter as the day peaked, and Mihai was sweating under all the layers of clothing, ‘’and it’s good to be out of the Harem, away from the chores.’’

‘’Is it that bad?’’ Mihai cringed sympathetically.

‘’It depends who you are,’’ Karim slid his hand under Mihai’s silver hair, which he’d taken to wearing out like the Asakurians preferred, but under the heat it became unbearable. Mihai turned around obediently as Karim begun braiding his hair, ‘’I mean, Lady Iomana prances around like she’s the Empress.’’

Mihai snorted, but he didn’t find it funny. He found it frustrating, ‘’I can imagine.’’

‘’But at least she stays away from the ‘lowly’ ones, like me.’’

‘’You’re not lowly!’’ Mihai protested, glancing over his shoulder, and Karim smiled at him, tying the braid with a piece of string from the folds of his kimono, ‘’I hope my friendship with you doesn’t bring you trouble.’’

‘’Oh, not at all. In fact, it’s the one thing that keeps me going,’’ Karim’s smile widened and Mihai couldn’t help but smile back. Karim had such a nice smile.

‘’I’m glad,’’ Mihai turned back around and fingered his braid. Summer was coming to a close and it was unbelievably hot.

‘’Still want to go home?’’ Karim asked sympathetically.

Mihai shrugged. He didn’t want to say it. He wanted to love the peace and quiet of Asakura and he convinced himself that if he wanted it enough, it would become reality. And at least he had Karim, and Eliha, for the time being, ‘’it’s very hot today,’’ he said, looking up above the canopy of the tree shielding the bench they came to enjoy sitting on, ‘’but when winter comes we will need a different place to study.’’

‘’Yes. Perhaps the kitchens?’’ Karim suggested.

‘’That would be nice.’’ Mihai stood, ‘’well, I think I need to get out of the sun. I will get burnt and, if anything else, Shay likes pale skin.’’

‘’You should stop thinking so much about what the Emperor likes,’’ Karim blurted, standing too, tucking the book against his side with his arm. It sounded contrary to what Eliha had told him when they had first met – _if you want the Emperor’s affection, take it_. Or, at least, he had fought that taking Shay’s affection meant working hard to becoming the perfect husband. But it was hard and it didn’t seem to be working. Karim glanced at his feet, ‘’forgive me, that was out of place.’’

‘’No,’’ Mihai smiled and took his hand, ‘’thank you for worrying about me. It makes me feel not quite so alone.’’

Karim smiled shyly and shifted his hand so that he could gently tug on Mihai’s, ‘’why don’t we go into my room in the Harem, my lord. I know you hate the people who live there, but it will be cool and we can continue with our lesson.’’

‘’Thank you. That sounds lovely,’’ Mihai didn’t feel like going back to his room to stare at walls or into Shay’s office to stare at the back of his head either, ‘’but I don’t hate the concubines,’’ he said as he followed Karim down the small hill towards the main Harem building, ‘’I just…I might hate the part of Shay that keeps the Harem when he has a husband.’’

‘’I won’t try to justify the Emperor’s actions, but perhaps he does it for tradition’s sake. The Emperors of the South and the Kings of the West have kept Harem’s since the first wolf people built their first houses. He only beds Iomana, and he’d done that before you came to him, your majesty,’’ he smiled mysteriously, ‘’and, from what I hear, he has not touched her since your arrival either.’’

‘’Well, he has not touched me either,’’ Mihai mumbled but the notion that Iomana was as abandoned as him gave him some hope. They reached the cold marble of the Harem and it was a relief to Mihai’s bare feet. The guards bowed to him, ignoring Karim. Inside it wasn’t much cooler – it reminded Mihai of a bathing house. The building was made of wood, with many sliding doors leading to many rooms. It was…very ordinary. It didn’t feel like the Emperor himself would come here to bed beautiful courtesans.

‘’Everyone is either praying or doing chores,’’ Karim said in an excited whisper, pulling Mihai towards a set of doors, ‘’quick, before Mohadesh comes lurking!’’ Mihai giggled, a small thrill of excitement he hadn’t felt since he was a child with his siblings running through his body, ‘’welcome to my room, majesty,’’ he added, sliding open the door and letting Mihai inside before sliding it shut. It was small, but cosy, and the ceiling was surprisingly low. There was a small circular window above the thin futon on the floor and a desk in the corner set with jewels and trinkets to adorn himself, as well as white face-paste and cold cream to lighten the face which would not work on Karim’s dark complexion. There were beautiful crafted clothes lain out anywhere. Mihai felt pity for him – his whole life resolved around looking pretty for a man who did not even look at him. Mihai knew something about that.

‘’It’s cosy,’’ Mihai said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. The small window provided little light, making the inside of the room feel almost like the lower decks of a ship, like the one Mihai had been on when he came to Asakura.

‘’I’m glad you like it, your majesty,’’ Karim reached for a jug of water and a tin cup next to it, pouring some, ‘’here, please. To cool you down.’’

‘’You are very kind, Karim,’’ Mihai took the cup gratefully.

‘’It is only right. You have been nothing but kind to me,’’ Karim sat next to Mihai, close. He put the Asakurian story book next to them but made no attempt to open it.

‘’Here. You drink, too,’’ Mihai passed him the cup and Karim finished the water. He set the cup down by the foot of the bed.

They looked at each other and Karim reached out, his finger shyly brushing against Mihai’s cheek. Mihai didn’t swat his hand away, startled, but also pleased by contact – any contact – he’d been craving. Karim cupped his cheek briefly, his skin appearing darker against the paleness of Mihai’s, before brushing his fingers against his jaw, ‘’you really are lovely,’’ he murmured, voice low, ‘’but there are many lovely people in this Harem,’’ his fingers slipped to his pale throat, stopping at his Adam’s apple, ‘’so I suppose he won’t miss you too much.’’

Mihai’s ability to breathe was taken as if by the swipe of a hand as Karim shoved him down and pinned him down with a knee to the stomach. His hand was joined by the other on Mihai’s thin throat, and he was squeezing, squeezing, squeezing… Mihai tried to gasp for breath but found it impossible. Panic surged through his body and finally he started struggling, ‘sto…’’ Karim was squeezing too hard for him to even finish the word. He grabbed his wrists and tried to pry the hands away from his throat, but found it impossible. He was too weak, because he had made himself so – as an Omega he had always relied on the protection of others. He wasn’t like Aris, who knew how to protect himself, who understood that as a prince his life was always in danger. But Mihai had allowed the lectures on what an Omega should be seep into his very being and now he was going to die for it.

‘’You know, our methods are usually different. A knife to the throat or poison, but I wanted to see you die,’’ Karim’s voice, cold and vicious, made Mihai more scared than his hands on his throat, which loosened just a fracture so that Mihai wouldn’t die too quickly. So he wouldn’t die before Karim finished talking. It was aggravating – Mihai desperately tried to gasp for air, which came in thin ribbons every once in a while, barely offering relief, ‘’when the boss said he needed someone for this job, to kill the royal family of Kainan, I was elevated. This was what I had trained for. To kill you scum, one by one,’’ he grinned, his teeth flashing in the faint light. Mihai stared at him, still trying to fight back, ‘’and you were so stupid! You let me braid your hair! It would have been so easy to slit the throat of an ignorant, naïve prince like you right there and then,’’ he pressed a little harder, bringing his face to Mihai’s, ‘’and your constant whining! The Emperor this…The Emperor that…he doesn’t love me! Oh, Karim, what should I do!’’ Karim’s imitation hurt almost more than the hands slowly crushing his throat. Mihai had poured his heart out to him, and now…

‘’You think you have it hard!?’’ now Karim’s voice turned more raw, more uncontrolled, and Mihai worried that he’d snap his neck by accident, ‘’my parents died because of your father! After escaping Salar we were so close to finally living normally! We just wanted a small patch of land, to build a house and live together, but no! Your father issued a decree that allowed refugees to be cut down if they fought back and my father _fought_. For his family, and when he did he was cut down by your countrymen like he was _nothing_! And my mother…’’ Mihai’s vision was going blurry and Karim’s words came to him as through a fog, ‘’she didn’t scream or cry. She cradled my father’s corpse in her lap, and stared those soldiers down with a fire in her eyes and she did not move, until one of the soldiers grabbed me and tossed me onto a boat, like I wasn’t a child but a sack of rocks. But I was a box full of dynamite. I never saw her again. So don’t cry to me about how your husband doesn’t love you, how you miss your family a few hours away by ship, when mine is _dead_! And when yours is, maybe you’ll understand me. Maybe you’ll even forgive me in the afterlife,’’ he laughed at the cruel joke, ‘’I lied about the rest of my story. Yes, I was picked up by Sahrian fishermen, but I would never degrade myself, my whole life, to pleasing a single man. I didn’t train as a courtesan; I started training as something much better,’’ Karim’s squeeze returned full force, and Mihai understood that his speech had come to an end, and with it his life, ‘’the assassins of Cana Kaale send their regards.’’

Mihai’s vision went grey and he stopped desperately gasping for breath. The pain dulled and he knew that this was it. He looked at Karim, his beautiful face twisted in rage, and tried to say _I’m sorry_ , because he was, but he couldn’t get his voice to work. The outline of Karim blurred around the edges, and all sound disappeared. And that was when he saw Mohadesh appear behind Karim and hit him over the head with a broomstick. Karim’s hands were gone as he toppled off the bed.

Air came flooding into Mihai’s lungs painfully and he wheezed, trying to breathe properly. He rolled onto his side, propping himself up with what little strength he had and begun coughing. He heard Mohadesh, loud and clear now that his vision was sharpening, scream for guards. Then she was on him, wiping his mouth, telling him to look at her. He did and felt relief and gratitude so profound that he threw his arms around the Head of the Harem. She cradled him till the guards entered and she explained what had happened. Mihai’s vision was normal now, but everything seemed to be moving slowly. His throat burned and he couldn’t find his voice. He looked at Karim, wanting to say something, anything, to the boy who, in the end, had been his only consolation in the palace, but Karim was unconscious, blood seeping from the back of his head. The two guards that had come running yanked his up by his arms and hauled him away.

Mihai closed his eyes and curled in on himself, trying to get his voice to work, the pain to recede. Then he heard Shay come in and Mohadesh leave. He waited for his gentle hand on his hair, his broken Kai to reach his ears but instead in the next instance he was being pulled up and crushed against Shay, as the Emperor hugged him tightly. And that was when Mihai burst into tears, hiding his face in Shay’s neck, clinging to him. This was what he had needed from the first day – Shay’s warmth, his embrace, this desperation in which he was checking if Mihai was okay. Shay stroked his braid and rubbed his back. He kissed his forehead and murmured things in Asakurian that Mihai only partly understood; _‘forgive me, I won’t let this happen again’, ‘you’re safe now’, ‘I’m so sorry’, ‘I’m so glad you’re safe’, ‘don’t cry, it’s all alright now’, ‘I’m going to kill him’, ‘I should have paid you more attention’_ …

And Mihai just shook his head and clung to his husband till he calmed down and the tears stopped flowing. He pulled back and Shay wiped the tears clinging to his lashes with his fingers. For once his face wasn’t carefully controlled or embarrassed. There was raw pain in his eyes, and determination, and what Mihai hoped was love. Then Shay’s fingers slipped to his throat, where he touched the burning places. Mihai knew that there were probably ugly, purple bruises there. He didn’t want Shay to see them but the Emperor dipped his head and kissed his throat gently, as if he could kiss the bruise marks away. And when he straightened he didn’t hesitate to kiss Mihai properly.

Finally, Mihai felt his lips on him. They were soft and warm and felt exactly like Mihai had imagined. His kisses were gentle, reassuring and constant. Mihai took them in, worried he’d never receive them again, at least not till the next assassination attempt, ‘’Shay…’’ Mihai finally found his voice, and it was broken and raspy but Shay smiled at him.

‘’I’m here,’’ Shay assured him in Kai, and kissed him again. Mihai cupped his face, not wanting to let go, ever. Shay hugged him tighter. Mihai didn’t protest when Shay gently tilted him back in Karim’s bed, onto the pillows, and begun to stroke his waist with one hand.

Distracted by the kisses, Mihai only managed to catch Shay’s hand when it reached the sash tying the layers of his top together, ‘’don’t…’’ he whispered. It hurt to speak.

‘’I’ll do it properly this time,’’ Shay said in Asakurian – or at least Mihai hoped that’s what he said.

‘’No,’’ Mihai sat up, taking Shay with him. He felt weak, and tired, ‘’not here.’’

‘’Then, our chamber-‘’

‘’No, not there either,’’ the strength of Mihai’s voice was slowly coming back, ‘’in your chambers.’’

Shay looked away, ‘’you not allowed in there,’’ he said in Kai.

‘’Then allow me in there.’’

‘’Mihai,’’ Shay turned back to him, saying his name gently. He kissed him again, ‘’here fine.’’

‘’No, here is not fine,’’ Mihai said firmly, his voice raspy. He would not let the Emperor take him on the bed in which he was getting strangled to death minutes before, ‘’I will only allow you to take me in your chambers. I’m not a concubine. I’m your husband and I am an Emperor.’’

The determination in Shay’s eyes faded back to his normal, meek demeanour and he released Mihai completely. Mihai almost wished he hadn’t said anything, but he was done working himself half to death to please his husband. Shay touched his cheek and Mihai knew that Shay was about to run away. It struck him for the first time that despite being the monarch of this kingdom, Shay was a coward, ‘’rest,’’ he said gently, before getting up and going towards the doors. Mihai didn’t try to stop him, but only minutes after the doors slid closed, they opened again.

The last person Mihai wanted to see stood in the doorway.

‘’Your majesty, you look awful!’’ Iomana gushed, but her words had an amused bite to it. She did not enter the room and she cradled her stomach as if she wanted Mihai to pay attention to it, ‘’I hope you feel better soon,’’ she added insincerely, turning to go, ‘’oh, and, by the way. Shay prefers the gentler types, my lord. The ones who give him what he wants when he wants,’’ she added, the beginnings of a smirk on her lips.

Mihai knew what Aris would say to her – ‘ _piss off_.’ Or Kaen – ‘ _’well, congratulation, then – you gave him what he wants! A hole to fuck_ ’. And Elentina – ‘ _’he definitely wants someone pretty, so I suppose you’re out of the running, then_ ’. Or Johan, arms crossed over his broad chest – ‘ _enjoy birthing your bastard child_ ’. All of them things that would silence Iomana and her wicked tongue, but Mihai said nothing. It was Eliha who gave him a comeback, appearing at the doors, flawless as ever. She gave Iomana a look so full of disgust and uninterested that Mihai could have laughed, ‘’oh, there’s one. I was looking for a servant,’’ she waved a hand, ‘’fetch me some wine.’’

Iomana flushed, ‘’I am not a servant.’’

‘’Firstly, I am a princess, and you will refer to me as such,’’ Eliha said coldly, ‘’secondly, I did not ask what you were. I gave you an order.’’

Iomana gritted her teeth in rage and suddenly she didn’t look so beautiful anymore, ‘’I carry your brother’s child, _my lady_.’’

‘’Bastards don’t count,’’ Eliha said with a smirk. Iomana whipped around and stormed off; Mihai doubted that she would come back. Eliha shook her head at Iomana’s receding form and entered the room, sitting on the bed and taking Mihai’s hands, ‘’don’t mind her. She is a godless woman,’’ she touched Mihai’s cheek affectionately, ‘’and my brother is an idiot. He won’t learn. He’s the type to run away from things he can’t figure out, as you have probably noticed. So you have to force him to give you what you want,’’ she smiled, ‘’that’s what us younger siblings have had to learn to do since the dawn of time. After all, the god Arihant is known as the god of war, bandits and rain, not as the brother of Gordain.’’ She added with a smile.

Mihai smiled at her. It was about time he followed her advice.

*~*~*

‘’My lord, forgive me, could you give this to the king?’’ a servant boy bowed as he passed Kaen an envelope before disappearing through the servant exit, not waiting for a reply. Kaen was, as always, sitting at the head table, drinking away. It was Serafin’s birth day banquet – both his and Johan’s birthday were in the summer. Kaen had hoped to bother Ilia the whole evening for his amusement, but the young prince had excused himself after dancing one song with the birthday boy, saying he was tired. Now, bored out of his mind, Kaen glanced down at the envelope he was to deliver to Johan, currently dancing with the now-twenty-year-old Serafin. It was sealed with the Aradhaya house seal – a black viper in a single coil, head raised to strike, jaws opened to reveal black fangs. The only colour in the design was the white pinprick of an eye. Kaen frowned – despite being the Emperor of Asakura, Mihai still used the Hyndestane double breasted vulture seal. Which mean that this was from Shayan. Which meant that Mihai was in trouble.

Kaen did not hesitate to rip open the envelope, shuffling out the piece of parchment written in beautiful calligraphy. It was written in Kai, which meant the Emperor was either fluent in the language or he had a translator. Kaen scanned the letter, double back and read it properly, clenching his teeth. He read it once more, for good measure, ‘’what are you reading, Kaen?’’ Johan, grinning from the dance, came to the table with Serafin in tow. In response, Kaen slammed the letter down on the table for Johan to read, startling the king and stormed out of the room.

Ilia wasn’t hard to find – he was in his chambers, which were smaller than Kaen’s and much messier, with his colourful clothes littered about. His staff was propped up against the wall. Kaen stopped; he’d never been in Ilia’s chambers. Still, when he spotted Ilia, buried under the covers, his anger boiled. Without further ado, he grabbed Ilia’s wrist and yanked him out of bed. Ilia was jerked awake and he swore at Kaen as he stumbled, pulled towards the doors, ‘’what the hell are you doing!?’’ he demanded, finally placing his feet properly on the floor and pulled against Kaen’s grip, forcing him to come to a halt.

‘’It was you, wasn’t it, you little snake!?’’ Kaen demanded. He dropped Ilia’s hand and shoved, him, hard.

Ilia stumbled back, shocked, ‘’I don’t know what you’re talking about.’’

‘’I know you’re stupid, you don’t have to pretend,’’ Kaen snapped, ‘’there’s been an assassination attempt on my brother. I knew you were acting strange, and today you left the party early. You knew the letter would come, didn’t you!?’’

‘’You…oh gods, you think _I_ did it? How could I, I’ve been cooped up in the palace since the summer ball.’’

‘’I don’t know anyone else who would want my brother dead. By the way, you failed,’’ he grabbed Ilia’s wrist again.

Ilia pushed against him, ‘’you’re mad! I haven’t done anything! And stop dragging me around! Stop it, Kaen!’’

Kaen ignored him, pulling him out into the corridor, ‘’guards!’’ he bellowed and the ones guarding the corridor snapped into action. He tossed them Ilia, ‘’lock him back in the tower, under heavy guard. I need to speak to my brother.’’

The guards, confused, tried to gently escort Ilia but when the boy fought against them they had to grab him and practically drag him away, ‘’Kaen! You crazy bastard! What the hell! I didn’t do it! Idiot! Hey!’’

But Kaen didn’t spare him another glance.

He met Johan down the corridor, away from the party. He looked flustered but before Kaen could open his mouth, Johan spoke, ‘’Rehan just returned. Negotiations have failed and there was no treaty,’’ for the first time in a while, he looked truly helpless, ‘’I think we’re about to enter a war with Moriya.’’

*~*~*  


Elenia wasn’t surprised when, after finishing the kitchen cleaning duty late in the evening, Cyr was leaning against the doors, ‘’you’ve heard?’’

‘’I think every Cana Kaale assassin has heard,’’ Elenia’s face was impassive, ‘’well, it’s not like we can do anything for him now. Karim chose to strike at the wrong time, in the wrong place. His training has failed him.’’

Cyr watched her for a second, ‘’you really are heartless. Didn’t you two train together in Moriya?’’

‘’We’re assassins,’’ Elenia raised her chin, ‘’the weak ones die. Clearly, Karim was too weak.’’

‘’He’s not dead yet, you know.’’

‘’I’m not about to drop my cover to sail to Asakura to save his ass,’’ Elenia snorted, ‘’and I advise you don’t either, but do what you like. If you die, I might just finish your job and get double the payment. And double he satisfaction.’’

Cyr shook his head, ‘’sometimes I wonder if maybe we should have coordinated the attack, struck at the same time.’’

‘’It wouldn’t have been possible to attack at the same time across the world,’’ Elenia shrugged, walking past Cyr.

‘’The plan still stands,’’ he called after her, ‘’you wait until I strike first.’’


	14. The Slave's Son

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your reviews, guys! They are the thing that pushes me to updating daily <3 
> 
> Alna_King - haha I feel you, I skim read some fics as well depending on what I feel like reading. And...oh gosh...my...I...wow...better than GoT in some ways??? That is SUCH A COMPLIMENT <3 Thank you so much!!!!
> 
> PoT4ToM4N - thank you so much for your support! As for your constructive criticisms:   
> \- ah, you see, the thing with Elentina is, I want her to only be mentioned in letters for the time being, but no worries...soon shit will go down and she will become much, much more interesting, I assure you ;) I'm very happy you like her though!  
> \- about the brutal rape thing...yes, the scene was defo brutal, as it was meant to be, but it wasn't completely rape because, if you remember, Ilia was actually prompting Kaen to do it. Unfortunately what Ilia didn't realise was how little regard Kaen had for his well being at that point. And while it is completely non-naturalistic if a rape survivor recovers immediatly with no side effects, we need to remember the historical context.  
>  I've set this in, what? 800-1000 AD (or I hope it is something like this xD) where arranged marriages & raw consumation of marriage was extremely common, as was rape and things like that. The wives (and in this case, any submissive) rarely had any voice and the men rarely had any concern for them. In Game of Thrones as well, this is normal, and while today it is unaccaptable, back then the victims were expected to deal with it. So I think while Ilia definitely feels a bit angry with Kaen for treating him like that, he would move on very quickly as he would know of situations like this occuring. So while I defo do not condone rape, historically, Ilia would get over it quite quickly, I assume, especially since he is so dedicated to his cause that he'd do whatever to get to it. But good point! (sorry, this kind of went into a monologue xD)  
> \- omg I can't believe you want to pay me for this!! xD That is a massive compliment, thank you very much, but writing is my passions & I'm just really happy to share it with you all. In fact, I'm super lucky to have so many readers!!
> 
> Az00re - I am actually a wizard, but shhh, don't tell anyone ;) 
> 
> Ok, if I reply to everyone this will be longer than the actual chapter xD But thank you so so so soooo much to all the reviewers, both the ones that comment on every chapter and the new ones. You make my day awesome!!

_Dear Johan,_

_I write to you with great sadness to inform you that my husband, King Sava of house Morgade, is gravely ill. He fell with the moon fever a few days after the celebrations of Hafwen, and the physicians have informed myself, and his poor sister, the princess Mahala, that he will not see the next summer to come. The two of us will try our best to comfort him in his last months on Earth before he meets the gods. I write to you in hopes that you will keep my dear husband in your prayers, as I will, and to remind you, dear brother, of the promise you made me on the eve of your wedding._

_Do not break it._

_With you always, your loving sister,_

_Elentina Alima Morgade, Queen Consort of Sahr_

*~*~*

‘’Keeping yer silence still, eh?’’

Aris looked up at Sylver. The young prince was sitting under a tree deep in the forest below the bandit caves. He was carving an owl with a hunting knife out branch. Sylver sat down next to him, heavily. He was a large man, and yet cheerful. He wiped sweat from his neck, under his bandit necklace, ‘’impressive, kid. The priestesses of Santa Sierra would approve.’’

‘’I do not keep silent. I speak to everyone but…him,’’ Aris said moodily, his strokes hard and rough on the bark. He quickly changed the subject, not wanting to be lectured on the subject of Bane again, ‘’you have been to Santa Sierra?’’

‘’Oh, I’ve been all over,’’ Sylver said with a grin, rubbing the glistening grey stubble on his chin, ‘’to the top of Glowhill peak in Salar, in the silver mines of Moriya, hot as the seven hells, to the twin islands of Sahr, on a boat along the Alexandrios river that splits Asakura in half, and to the eastern end of the Sorata river in Kainan, that marks the end of the world…ya name it, I’ve been.’’

‘’What about Queensbane?’’ Aris asked with a smile at the owl in his hand, remembering his home.

‘’Ah, the City of Lights. Yes. You aren’t a true Kai if you haven’t seen the stars shining in the windows of Queensbane.’’

‘’Well said,’’ Aris grinned at him. It was nice to talk to someone other than Bane or the girls or Wiss – anyone who wasn’t set on convincing him to embrace being Bane’s mate.

‘’I’ve been to all the big cities, actually,’’ Sylver said wistfully, looking up over the canopy of the trees, reminiscing, ‘’Roma, the City of Roses in Asakura…although there are more cherry trees than roses there. Sahr, the home of the stars, is similar to Queensbane, except the ‘stars’ shine everywhere, which takes from the charm,’’ he shrugged his broad shoulders, ‘’it’s always best to me back home.’’

‘’Tell me about it,’’ Aris muttered to himself, and then to Sylver, ‘’you’re Kai by origin?’’

‘’Of course! Born and bred,’’ he laughed proudly, ‘’although I suppose being a bandit makes me part of the bandit kingdom, doesn’t it?’’

Aris shrugged, ‘’I don’t know. I don’t…’’ he dropped the owl, which was cut too roughly to be pretty, kicked it away and rubbed his face with his free hand, ‘’…think of myself as a bandit. I still think of myself as the prince of Kai.’’

Sylver smiled at the distance, ‘’I do wonder how all this will end.’’

‘’You haven’t been here much longer than I have, right?’’ Aris played with his knife.

‘’Nah, maybe a month more? But this lot grows on ya, fast.’’ He assured.

Aris shrugged. It was true he didn’t mind Wiss’ company any more, and he liked spending time with Dieu who understood partly how he felt. Roshni was sweet, despite being a bandit, and May was good at weird, bandit board games which she brought into his room sometimes. She was still mean on occasion, and half-amused every time he met her, but she was such a neutral character most of the time that it gave Aris a piece of mind. And now that he’d embraced Sylver’s friendship, Aris thought that he reminded him of Kay, the captain of the guard who, despite being more than ten years older than him was a good friend. Even so, he was still waiting for Heba and her sell-swords to liberate him, ‘’I guess…’’ he mumbled to himself. He brushed his silver hair back – it was getting long, ‘’it’s just…my brother’s in Asakura, married to the emperor, and there was an assassination attempt on him. He’s fine but…I should be at home, with my family, or sent to visit him, see if he is alright. Not here, hearing it from letters. I…’’ he sighed and shook his head.

‘’I get it, son,’’ Sylver clapped him on the back with his massive paw, ‘’it’s hard being away from family, but assassinations and killin’ has always been something royals had to deal with. For bandits, killin’ is just that – killin’. It happens. It will happen again. The important thing is to not let it break ya down,’’ Aris nodded. They stared ahead at the trees for a while, savouring the heat of the summer that wasn’t felt that much up in the windy caves, ‘’Oh, I forgot. I was meant to get ya for dinner; Wiss’ll kill me. C’mon,’’ Sylver was up on his feet and Aris followed him, tucking his knife into his belt. He was getting rather hungry.

*~*~*

Bane visited him after dinner, when Aris was sitting on the floor of his room, re-reading Johan’s letter. When Bane entered, he quickly slipped the letter under his bed. There was a large chance that Bane had read the letter, somehow, but when it arrived the double-breasted vulture seal of House Hyndestane had been unbroken, and Aris wasn’t risking Bane knowing that his grandmother had arrived with her retainers. Bane sat down next to him and stared at the opposite wall, copying Aris, ‘’hey,’’ he said eventually. Aris said nothing. Bane smiled to himself, ‘’you know, I was watchin’ you at dinner today, and I got this mad urge to kiss you.’’ Aris jerked back but Bane grabbed his wrist, laughing, ‘’calm down; I’m not gonna do it. You’d probably gouge my eyes out or something,’’ Aris relaxed in his grip but his eyes were glaring, ‘’I just wanted you to know.’’

Bane waited for a response but he received none. Aris was still glaring at him. Bane’s fingers slowly inched from his wrist to cup his fist, loosening it enough so he could hold it loosely in his hand. He brought it to his chest, not breaking eye contact with Aris. Aris let him, curious as to where he was going with this. He stroked his thumb against Aris’ knuckled and, to the Omega’s terror, he felt himself warm to the touch, on the inside. He felt better than he had since he’d arrived here, more calm. He couldn’t even summon his anger. Taking that as encouragement, Bane scooted closer to him, pressing his hand gently to Aris’ cheek. It was the first time Aris allowed himself to be touched by him. Bane stroked his hand experimentally to his temple, brushing his hair and back down, tracing his cheekbone, jaw… and Aris couldn’t move.

‘’You’re stubborn,’’ Bane whispered, smiling, ‘’that’s alright. But in the end you will give in to me, to this…thing we have. It’s fate. I’m find with waiting because I know that someday,’’ his thumb brushed against Aris’ lower lip, ‘’you’ll be mine and we’ll be a family,’’ he dropped his hand from his hand to his stomach, touching it minimally through his tunic, ‘’with a child and-‘’

At the mention of children, control of his body flooded back to Aris’, and his rage once more overpowered his Omega instincts to give into his mate’s desires. Bane didn’t even know what hit him when Aris slammed his fist into his stomach, sending him back, and then jumped on top, pressing a knee onto his chest to keep him down, ‘’don’t ever,’’ he hissed, ‘’speak to me about children.’’

‘’Oh, so you can talk,’’ Bane grinned. Aris’ control snapped and he brought his fist down hard on Bane’s face. He just wanted to wipe that grin off, get rid of that dimple; just… he wasn’t sure where he hit until Bane threw him off violently and pinned him down, blood spurting from his nose. What was it with Aris and breaking noses? ‘’I’ve had about enough of you,’’ Bane growled, ‘’you want to fight? Fine, let’s fight, you weakling prince.’’

They fought and Bane didn’t hold back. Apparently, for once, he let his anger override his concern for his mate because pretty soon Aris’ lip was split and there was a bruise blooming on his jaw. He lost count of how many times he and Bane flipped around. He didn’t feel the pain as much, seeing red. He just wanted Bane to shut up, to just… ‘’stop! _STOP_!’’ Roshni’s scream reached him, followed by a clatter of wooden pieces as May dropped the board game she had been bringing to Aris and launched herself at him. She managed to pin him down with the help of Roshni, while Wiss, who had heard the commotion in the corridor, ran in to calm Bane down before he did something stupid. Bane spat blood onto the floor, glaring at Aris.

Merina came in, unsurprised, arms crossed. She shook her head, ‘’like children. Control yourselves, you’re grown men,’’ she snapped, then pointed at Bane, ‘’get out, clean yourself up, get a hold of yourself. This is not how a leader acts. And you,’’ she pointed at Aris, ‘’stop initiating fights. I know you did it, don’t deny it. Girls, leave him alone, he can sit here and mope. That’s all he’s good at anyway.’’ The girls, hearing the command in her voice, obediently got up, releasing Aris. Bane shook off Wiss and stalked out, followed by his bandits. The doors slammed shut, blowing out the single candle and the room was covered in the purple, not-too-dark darkness of a summer evening.

Aris didn’t move. He glanced at the knuckles of his leading hand and noted that his knuckles were split and bloody, his Hyndestane seal ring matted with blood. His lip stung, his jaw hurt and his whole body felt as if it had been tossed off the edge of the Moher Mountains. He must have sat there for a good half hour before the doors opened again and, strangely enough, Bane came back in. He had been moped up and, to Aris’ dull irritation; he didn’t look like he had sustained any major injuries. In his hand he carried a small basket and when he knelt by Aris, he didn’t try to get rid of him. He didn’t have the energy. It seemed that whatever Aris did to rid himself of his mate only made him come back twice as determined. Bane took his hand firmly and dug into the basket, producing a vial of something that he poured over his knuckles. Aris hissed as the blood and torn skin bubbled and hissed.

‘’Most of the bandits were born here,’’ Bane said out of nowhere, ‘’I wasn’t. My grandparents were from Sahr, originally, but during one war or the other they were brought to Kainan and made to work in the Moracay canyon. They died there. My parents were born there, and so was I.’’ Aris averted his eyes. He knew of the Moracay canyon – under Odion’s rule the coal from it was extracted only by the worst criminals. It was hard, back breaking, murderous work, but a few decades back, before Odion, the previous King, of the Hyndestane bloodline, had made it a labour camp for prisoners of war and slaves. Thousands died. It was infamous and a scar on the history of Kainan.

‘’When I was three May was born.’’ Bane continued, beginning to bandage Aris’ hand with slow, assured movements, ‘’If you are born in the canyon, you don’t have a family name, or a house. That’s why we have such strange names. ‘Bane’ – _a cause of great distress_. My grandfather named me when I was born, days before he passed. His back broke – they made an old man work himself to death. Either way, in his last days he had hoped I would be a cause of great distress to the people who kept us in the canyon like cattle. But May was named after a flower. Mayflower, is a type of the Arbutus plant, and it was the only thing that grew in the canyon. It was indeed a great distress to the overseers, because the more they cleared, more grew. It is hard to cultivate but once it grows, it’s quite pretty. I suppose my mother thought that if May got out of the canyon, she could grow properly into a beauty. She has, I suppose. Don’t tell her that though.’’ Bane smiled, but there was something sad about it.

‘’So here we were, Bane and Mayflower, in the Moracay canyon,’’ Bane took his time bandaging Aris’ hand, ‘’many children were born, because it seemed as if making love was the only thing that kept people sane in the canyon, and they were all protected by the adults as if they were their own. But they were wild – they wanted to see the world, they hated the overseers. Like the Mayflowers, the more the overseers hit them, the less scared they became, the more rebellious. But not me,’’ Bane said it almost guiltily, ‘’I was the most obedient child in the whole canyon and the overseers rewarded me, hoping the children would follow my example. In a time, I learned what to do to be rewarded. I brought the rewards – stale biscuits, a handful of half-ripe berries, a cup of dirty water – to my starving family and I kept them going. I told myself everything was okay, that I could work myself to death, as long as I kept the overseers happy and my family fed. I was so young that I didn’t know a handful of biscuits would save us from starvation.’’

‘’Even though I was such a good boy, my mother was killed. She was with child then, my second sister or a brother, and it was pretty obvious. She could barely move, but of course they made her work – she was slow, and they were frustrated with her. One day someone stole a piece of bread from the wagon which held the food for the overseers, but when they rounded us up the culprit wouldn’t step up. So…’’ Bane swallowed, like he was having trouble talking, ‘’they took the least useful person around. My mother. And they said they would beat her until the person stepped up. No one stepped up and the first lashes fell. I ran to the overseers, which I knew by face by now, and told them it was my mother. And they…they tossed me one of those biscuits, because they thought that would make me shut up, because they thought they had trained me to obey them no matter what. They thought I would watch my mother die.’’

‘’My father was restrained by laughing overseers as my mother was whipped to death. She screamed, and the only thing she tried to protect was the life in her stomach. And still no one stepped up. So I, aged eight, grabbed a rock and smashed it into the head of the overseer closest to me. It killed him instantly but I kept smashing till his whole face was caved in, and, seeing a child lose it, made the entire population of the canyon snap. Every heard of the Moracay uprising?’’ Aris listened with wide eyes. Of course he’d heard – he’s learned about it from his history tutor. He’d been seven then and it was the thing that made Odion outlaw the use of it, except for criminals, ‘’in the end I did turn out to be a cause of distress to the overseers – the ultimate cause of distress. The bane of their existence. The people rose up and the overseers, every single one, was killed. My mother was already dead by the time I reached her, as was my sibling in her stomach, and my father wasted no time. He scooped me up in one arm and May in the other. She was but five years old. He was a good man. Using the commotion sparked by the uprising, he managed to escape. He carried us the entire way to Massacoury.’’

Aris inhaled sharply. Massacoury was halfway across the country from Moracay, ‘’he was half dead when he reached the town, and we walked in straight into the middle of the fight between bandits and pirates.’’ Bane grinned, like this was the favourite part of the story, ‘’so my father thought ‘to hell with it’, picked up the nearest weapon and started fighting. Luckily for him, the first person he struck was a pirate. So he kept fighting pirates, which meant he was fighting with the bandits. He actually fought alongside one specific man. May and I watched. Again, luckily, the bandits chased off the pirates this time round and the man my father fought alongside turned out to be Bionbyr, the King of the Bandits. Surprised by his courage and instinct, he took us all in here at the caves. And this is where I grew up, with most of my inner circle. When Bionbyr died, childless, he handed the ‘crown’ to my father and when he, too, passed away, aged by the experience of his life, I became King and took Bionbyr’s family name - Santi.’’

Bane glanced up at Aris and swathed a cloth with the content of the vial, ‘’I don’t mean to tell you this to gain your pity. I just…wanted you to know more about me. Since we talk so rarely,’’ gently Bane dabbed at Aris’ split lip. It hurt but this time Aris didn’t wince, finally listening to what Bane had to say, ‘’you know, when people lose families, they don’t want to have people around them they love, in case they get hurt. I was the opposite. Since I saw how much those people in the canyon cherished children, I’ve wanted ones of my own. But it wasn’t fair of me to push the idea on you, especially since we’ve barely begun talking again. I’m sorry about that; I was just overwhelmed because you finally allowed me to touch you and I just felt…’’

‘’I know what you mean,’’ Aris said quietly.

Bane smiled, beginning to pack up the medicine and bandages, ‘’either way, I hope you can forgive me.’’

Aris snorted, ‘’I was the one who started it.’’

‘’Yeah, well, I deserved it,’’ Bane grinned at him, the dimple in his cheek deepening, ‘’either way, I hope that we’re…okay?’’ he extended his arm to Aris and after a moment of hesitation, Aris grasped his forearm, like he’d seen the bandits do in greeting, and Bane grasped his. The gesture made Aris feel better. Bane stood up, taking the basket with him and left without another word.

At night, Aris couldn’t sleep. He knew what he had to do. Lighting a candle, he sat on the floor and dug out a piece of parchment and ink. It was one of the gifts he got from Bane to try and coax him into friendship, amongst clothes, weapons like his dagger and exotic fruit. Now he was glad for it. Thinking for a second, he began writing by candle light.

_Prince Ilia of House Shah,_

_You do not know me yet, properly. My name is Aris and I am the brother of your husband currently residing in the bandit kingdom. I know you were there on the day of my attempted liberation, and I thank you for risking your life for a man you do not know. I have a request that may ring strange, but as a fellow prince with a care for his country, and through our shared affection for Kaen, I ask you to speak to your brother, the King of Moriya, and work with him to close down the Silver Mines in Sainbul, Moriya. Through newly acquired information, I have come to learn how despicable those places are. Looking back at the history of my own country and the bloodshed in the Moracay Canyon, I beg you to get rid of the stain on your country’s name that is that labour camp before something like the Moracay uprising happens._

_Please do not write a reply. I hope you will accept my request, and that we may meet soon._

_Your brother in law,_

_Prince Aris Loic of House Hyndestane_

Once he finished and read over the letter, he slipped it into an envelope and picked up the candle, dribbling pale yellow wax onto it. It was not the standard red but it would have to do. He pressed his ring to the seal, watching the double-breasted vulture form, before blowing out the candle and stepping out into the corridor. Finding Merina wasn’t hard – she was the type to silently brood at night so on his third exit try, he found her sitting on the edge of the drop, legs dangling over the darkness, face turned up to be ruffled by the warm summer wind, ‘’Merina,’’ he could have gone to Roshni or May, but he’d gone to Merina because, even if she was irritating, she was loyal and she would respect his request.

‘’If it isn’t the young Omega prince,’’ Merina didn’t turn to him.

‘’I want to ask you for a favour.’’ Merina did not move and for a second Aris thought she did not hear him. But then she rose, and turned to him slowly. She looked at him seriously and he extended the letter to her. The edges were whipped by the wind, ‘’I need this letter delivered to the palace. When there, it needs to be given to Ryane, who needs to give it personally to the Moriyan prince, and no one else,’’ he stared her down, ‘’I also don’t want you to read it. On my honour, I did not enclose any information that could endanger this fortress. But I don’t want anyone here to know what I wrote, especially not Bane.’’

Merina stared at him for a long while, her clothes pulled by the wind. Then she stepped forward and took the letter, inclining her head, ‘’I will ride to the palace myself and be there by dawn. Your letter will not be unsealed.’’

Aris bowed his head gratefully, ‘’thank you.’’

*~*~*

Mihai glanced up at Shay nervously. It was the first time the Emperor had asked him to take a stroll with him in the garden – he was usually too busy. But in the late morning sun it was hard not to want to walk through the beautiful gardens. Mihai walked stiffly next to Shay – was the Emperor going to lecture him on obeying his husband? But once they reached the rows of rose bushes, Shay gently took his hand and hooked it through his elbow, so that they were linked as they walked. Mihai blushed. Was this Shay’s way of apologising? But he couldn’t complain. He matched his steps to the Emperor’s and admired the flowers. He plucked a flower from a bush and smelled it. Shay took it out of his hands and tucked it behind his ear, smiling at him adoringly.

Mihai’s breath hitched. Was he really walking arm-in-arm in the garden with his husband? He’d have to thank Karim for the assassination attempt – even though it had been terrible, it meant Shay was paying more attention to him. For a good hour they walked in silence, admiring the flowers and the weather and each other, and when they emerged by the Harem, Mohadesh was waiting, ‘’give him Gringalet,’’ he said in Asakurian, before dropping a kiss on Mihai’s hand and disappearing.

Mohadesh led him towards the stone building in the corner of the grounds that Mihai hadn’t visited yet. She held the cuffs of her kimono together and walked with perfect posture, ‘’you are very lucky,’’ she lectured, ‘’the Emperor traditionally keeps two horses, and rarely gives them away. Emperor Shayan has Rose and Gringalet, but he had gifted you the latter. She is a beautiful, light brown mare, purely bred in Asakura. A wonderful horse. Now you will be able to leave the palace, under escort, of course. And tonight the Emperor turns twenty two – you will ride in a parade around the city together on horseback.’’ From the way she said it, Mihai knew the ‘parade’ wouldn’t be nearly as fun as the ones in Kainan and there would be no banquet.  

Mihai stopped and Mohadesh glanced at him, surprised. Mihai locked eyes with her for a second, ‘’why is he giving me a horse?’’

‘’He wanted to gift you something. You should be grateful; this is an honour,’’ Mohadesh’s eyes darkened with warning.

‘’Instead of the horse,’’ Mihai swallowed, ‘’could I see Karim? Just once.’’

For the first time since he’d known her, Mohadesh averted her eyes. And when she spoke, Mihai understood why Shay had taken him on a walk, and why he wasn’t here now. Like a coward, he ran away from Mihai’s reaction, ‘’Karim has been executed this morning under account of treason.’’ She said. Like everything in the Asakurian court, the death of Karim had happened silently and, even though Karim had tried to kill him, even though he hadn’t meant any one of the kind things he’d said to Mihai, his heart broke.

Mihai’s voice was hard to find, ‘’Thank you for saving my life.’’ He whispered, and ran to the safety of his room – a habit he was quickly picking up from his husband.


	15. The King's Bastard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you all so much for your support!  
> To all the people who love Aris - sorry there's no Aris in this chapter :( To all those who love Mihai - sorry, he's not here either! To all those who love Ilia & Kaen - you're in for a treat ;) 
> 
> StellaCruz - waaaah, it's so nice to have someone from my Haikyuu prompts read my Original Work! I understand your concern about Aris & Bane being a bit Stockholm Syndrom-y but, hey! So was beauty & the beast. And I think that anything I write about them is gonna kind of be like that anyway, cuz Aris did get kidnapped...xD Either way, I hope you enjoy it anyway! & as requested, I tucked in some tiny hints on what Sahr's culture is like ;) I completely get what you mean about A/B/O - it gets so repetitive, and it defo did in my prompts, so I tried something different, and I'm glad you like it ;) 
> 
> SeamoreRed - thanks for reviewing b!!! I'm glad you enjoyed the fight xD Those two defo needed to blow off some steam. I love how you call Aris a spitfire - its so fitting! If this was in modern time, I would defo make that his nickname xD I'm glad you understood the explanation, I hoped it wasn't too confusing xD Either way, I always love reading your reviews, they're so detailed! <3 
> 
> Thank you so so so much everyone else who reviewed, you guys are great <3

Johan wasn’t _that_ surprised when he saw a letter on his desk, sealed with the outline of a bear’s paw that was the Morgade seal. He was tired. Beyond tired. It was late and all he really wanted to do was be with Serafin – not even make love to him, just lay down next to him and fall asleep next to his husband. But being king meant he had a lot of things to take care of, and being a new king as well meant he didn’t really have any chief ministers who could help out. And he’d already promised himself he’d stop dropping the workload on his mother’s shoulders. While she was still the soul of the palace, she was withering without her husband, visiting his tomb in the temple every day. But a letter from Elentina was a good way to start his evening – or bad, depending on what she wrote. If she wrote a detailed complaint, he’d need a drink, Johan decided, and rang the bell for a servant. As he waited, he sat down heavily in the chair and used his letter knife to open the envelope.

_Dear Johan,_

_I am eternally grateful that you have sent Nav here. Having my best friend makes being a foreign Queen so much less lonesome. Mahala, of course, is of great help but with my dear husband dying, she cares for him and I care for the matters of state while Sava rests. With Nav here, I can take care of business twice as fast. He has informed me of your…recommendation but with Sava bedridden you understand that a possibility of a child right now is unlikely. Although the marriage has been consummated, so you may pray to the goddess Thalia that she bestows my womb with her grace._

_Gods, that sounded a bit disgusting coming from me, didn’t it? I’m as worried about Sava as everyone. More than everyone, I suppose. Yes, I still do not ‘enjoy’ having him as a husband but he is the kindest soul I have met in all my twenty one years. There’s not enough kind people in this world._

_We had the Kite Festival; a few days ago. The whole royal family – Sava, in a special chair with wheels (they have chairs with wheels! I’ll show you the designs sometime), Mahala and a few nobles, as well as myself, got to go fly kites all the way in Asdan, which is a city in the north parts of Sahr, by the beach. I have mastered my Sahrian by now, so I had a lovely time with everyone. It was a wonderful sight – a few hundred kites of the villagers gathered in Asdan, all up in a colourful flurry. It is a Sahrian tradition that I will look forward to next year. Later all those villagers shared food with us, and each other. I feel like Sahr is such a peaceful, kind country, much like it’s king. Kainan had the split of us and them – the bandits, Moriya is just violent, Salar is isolated, Asakura is twenty years backwards, but Sahr…Sahr is paradise. I worry how Sava’s death will change it – but we must not think of death! That is what everyone says here – it’s like a motto of Morgade – we must not think of death. But all I worry about is his death._

_While we’re on the topic of mottos, I recently learned that House Morgade’s one is ‘_ by the people and for the people _’. I don’t know why I never bothered to learn it. It’s not so different to the motto of House Hyndestane – ‘_ we are the fortress’ _. Oh, but I am babbling. It is because I have not seen you all for so long. How is Aris? You do write to him, don’t you? The one I talk to most is Mihai – he has so much time on his hands, seeing as his duty is to look pretty now. Have you heard about that? It’s ridiculous! He is a prince, not some mere accessory. But I suppose even pretty decorations can be targeted by assassins._

_I hope you are all doing well. I will write less now, seeing as how I have so many matters at hand. Truly, Johan, for Nav, thank you. Even if he was sent to deliver a message, he has been a great help and will remain here with me for a while. Please retain his lands for him till then. Speaking of lands, I am happy Serafin has taken over mine. He is a kind man, and he will do well to learn how to hold land, seeing as he is King now. I cannot wait to see you all, but I am afraid an opportunity will not arise for a while yet._

_Keeping you in her thoughts, always,_

_Your loving sister,_

_Elentina Alima Hyndestane, Queen Consort of Sahr_

 

Johan smiled at the letter – apparently he did not need that drink after all. Even so the doors opened and a servant girl walked in, setting the cup of wine down on his desk, ‘’thank you,’’ he said, not raising his eyes. He was still reading the letter – he was happy Elentina had settled down. Only now did he realise how much he missed his only sister. He sighed and raised the cup of wine to his lips.

And then he stopped, the bright red liquid inches from his lips.

He hadn’t asked for wine yet…just for a servant girl, who was still standing there, as if waiting…and what did the assassin use to try and kill Serafin? Poison, which meant…his wine…

‘’You will not move,’’ a voice hissed in his ear and Johan slowly set the goblet down as he felt the cold bite of a blade on his throat. He didn’t have to look to know which servant it was – the blonde girl with blue eyes, and the tanned, scarred face that didn’t match a servant girl. She sniggered, ‘’you are a little too smart for your own good, young king. If you had drunk that, you’d be dead in seconds. Now,’’ she pressed the knife further into his throat, ‘’it will hurt much, much more.’’

‘’You talk too much,’’ Johan barked and sunk the letter opener, which he had swiped from the table when setting the goblet down, into the hand holding the dagger to his throat, which went limp as the girl bit back her scream, releasing the weapon. Johan was up on his feet, slamming the chair backwards so the girl crumpled to the floor. He did not doubt that she was the assassin when instead of falling she rolled under his desk and jumped on top of the guest chair, over the actual desk and barrelled feet-first into Johan before he could even turn.

He slammed painfully to the floor and the girl yanked the letter opened from her hand without a blink. _She’s not joking_ , Johan thought, ‘’guards!’’ he called but the girl only laughed, pressing the opener to his throat again.

‘’What guards? I’ve gotten rid of them. You think me an amateur?’’ she hissed in his ear, ‘’like Karim? Certainly, trying to kill a prince in a full Harem is the ultimate stupidity,’’ she watched with pleasure as Johan’s eyes widened, ‘’what, didn’t put two and two together? Well, then, you are as stupid as he is,’’ she swiped the knife from his throat, ‘’and idiots deserve to die.’’

The letter opened didn’t come down, but something else did – the chair, on the assassin’s head. Serafin stood above Johan, panting, the chair in his hands, staring down at the girl. Johan had never thought he looked more beautiful. Guards, which Serafin must have alerted, burst into the room. Finally, the chair cluttered from Serafin’s hands and he fell to his knees, grabbing Johan’s face, ‘’are you hurt?’’ he touched his throat feverishly, ‘’you’re bleeding!’’

Johan caught his hands, ‘’how did you know?’’ he breathed.

‘’…she told me, Johan. She told me you were in danger,’’ he whispered and burst into tears. Johan didn’t even look as the guards came to haul away the assassin that had been skulking around the palace for weeks. Instead he held the love of his life to his chest, as tightly as he could. He’d saved his life. Serafin, whom maybe he’d thought weak, subconsciously, damaged, someone who needed saving desperately, had saved him instead. As much as Johan wanted the god plaguing Serafin’s mind gone, he was also grateful that she had thought him valuable enough to save. Johan lifted Serafin’s face and kissed him desperately, feeling like he was breaking himself and Serafin was the only thing holding him together.

‘’Thank you.’’ He whispered, kissing him again. He ignored the guards flocking around, the physicians that came running seconds after Kaen burst into the room, who came in seconds after Magnon and Heba. Johan stood and helped Serafin to his feet, and they faced the court together.

*~*~*

Kaen looked almost guilty. Ilia wanted to laugh, but instead he gave him a bored look, ‘’so…I heard they caught the real assassin.’’

Kaen shuffled on his feet awkwardly, ‘’they did,’’ he glanced up at Ilia, sitting on the small bed in the tower, ‘’I’m letting you out now.’’

‘’You are?’’ Ilia pretended to be surprised, ‘’why, how gracious of you, my lord!’’

‘’Don’t mock me,’’ Kaen snapped, ‘’I made a mistake.’’

‘’Your whole life is a mistake, apparently,’’ Ilia stood, and crossed the room, ready to get out of this goddamned tower. But Kaen caught his forearm and twisted him around, ‘’honestly, give it up, I don’t care much for a speech about speaking to you politely right now so-‘’

‘’I’m sorry,’’ Kaen said and Ilia blanched, ‘’I shouldn’t have locked you here in the first place. I should have trusted you, even if you are completely untrustworthy,’’ he squeezed his forearm lightly, apologetically, ‘’I will next time.’’

Ilia looked at him, distrusting, and finally angled his body towards his husband, allowing him to keep ahold of his forearm, ‘’what are you doing now?’’ he asked casually.

‘’Ah, I…’’ Kaen drew his hand through his hair, ‘’I volunteered to question the assassin, before she is executed for treason. She said some things and…you know.’’

Ilia inched closer, his interest sparked. What kind of things had she said – how much had she given away? Or how much would she, under torture? ‘’what kind of things?’’

‘’I…never mind,’’ Kaen shook his head and released his arm.

‘’I can think of something a little more fun than torturing assassins,’’ Ilia purred, stepping closer. He knew what Elenia was and he didn’t want Kaen questioning her. He was one of the few people who could provoke her into spilling who she worked for. And, if they made a connection to Cyr, and Cyr to Ilia…things could get hot, quickly.

Kaen seemed surprised by his advanced but eventually shook his head, ‘’no, I have to do it. I don’t trust anyone else to, except maybe Jhoka. How are your lessons going with her, by the way?’’ he added with a smirk.

Ilia stepped back and scowled, ‘’you’re still insisting she govern me? What am I, seven?’’

‘’Seventeen. Young enough. I kept my tutor till I was nineteen,’’ Kaen lectured.

‘’And clearly that wasn’t too beneficial,’’ Ilia laughed and narrowly avoided Kaen’s half-hearted smack.

Kaen sighed, looking down at him like a disobedient child, ‘’I’m going now. Stay here if you like,’’ he walked to the doors but stopped there, his hand on the doorframe. He glanced at Ilia, ‘’come to my chambers in the evening.’’

Ilia raised a dark eyebrow, ‘’was that a threat?’’

‘’No,’’ Kaen scowled, ‘’it was a request. Do what you like.’’

He disappeared behind the doors and Ilia swore mentally. He’d suggested ‘that’ activity to drag Kaen away from the questioning, not in general. But maybe this was better – if Ilia got in the bed of the second prince, he could find out what Elenia had told him and plan his next move. What was it that the courtiers back in Moriya always said? ‘ _alssarir hu alttayifia_ ’ – the bed is the confessional. If you weren’t an Alpha at court, you didn’t have much value. Betas were common and Omegas were weak. Even as the most beautiful person in all of Moriya, Ilia was always referred to as ‘common’. Betas and Omegas did not become chancellors or confidantes, so they learned a different art – how to get information out of powerful Alphas at their weakest: in bed.

And so Ilia would put his art to use.

*~*~*

Kaen pulled on black leather gloves as he entered the gloomy dungeon cell at the end of the underground prisons – the torture chamber. The maid – or the assassin – was already there, tied to a metal chair. She was not rapping her fingers on the metal armrests; her eyes did not scan the room nervously. She sat perfectly still, like an assassin trained to stay in a tree or a rooftop for hours without moving. But if she was trained to endure, then Kaen was trained to wear down, ‘’Mirtha. That’s the name you gave to the head maid when she employed you,’’ Kaen said casually, strolling over to the assassin and the metal tray laid out with appliances he would rather not use, ‘’but that isn’t your name, is it? You look Kai born and Mirtha is not a Kai name. So why don’t we start with that? Your name.’’ the assassin remained silent, ‘’I figured as much,’’ Kaen picked up a small scalpel, the least dangerous looking thing on the tray – a good start, and placed it on the metal hand-rest next to the assassin’s pinkie finger, ‘’let’s see…’’ he drawled, ‘’your name or your finger. You choose.’’

But the assassin remained staring ahead, so Kaen kissed his teeth and neatly sliced through the pinkie. The assassin’s head snapped to the side, to stare at him, surprised. Had she really thought he wouldn’t do it? But she looked more angry than in pain. Her training and experience must have been so rough that getting the tip of her finger sliced off was a mere mosquito bite. ‘’Let’s try again,’’ Kaen casually cleaned the few drops of blood from the scalpel with a handkerchief on the tray, ‘’your name,’’ he placed the scalpel next to the next finger, ‘’or your ring finger.’’

‘’Elenia.’’

‘’Good. Elenia.’’ Kaen tasted the name, removing the scalpel from the arm rest for the time being. He tried not to look at the cut off part of her pinkie, seeping blood, ‘’the assassin, Karim, that you mentioned was from Moriya, and he mentioned to my brother that he is part of the notorious band of Cana Kaale assassins. I assume you are part of them, too.’’

Elenia studied him for a second, before smirking and leaning back in the chair, like she was relaxing in the Moriyan sun, ‘’yes.’’

‘’Who hired you?’’ Kaen asked conversationally.

‘’I don’t ask.’’

‘’Liar,’’ Kaen placed the scalpel next to her ring finger again, ‘’who hired you?’’

‘’I don’t ask.’’

He sliced clean through the tip, just below the nail, but this time not as much as a muscle twitched in Elenia’s face, ‘’who. Hired. You?’’

‘’I don’t ask,’’ she repeated serenely.

‘’That’s alright,’’ Kaen returned to a conversational tone, starting to walk around her, ‘’any speculations?’’

‘’I don’t speculate,’’ Elenia followed him with her eyes and a slow smile.

‘’Ah. You don’t speculate. Understandable. You may be cunning and dangerous, but you don’t think for yourself,’’ he hoped Elenia would rise to the bait, like Ilia would, but she remained smiling, shrugging like she didn’t mind him thinking that.

‘’What was your mission? Kill the King? Kill his husband?’’

‘’Aren’t you a smart one,’’ Elenia said mockingly.

‘’You used Visha’s pearl to try and poison him,’’ Kaen wasn’t asking, just stating facts, and she did not negate them, ‘’and my other brother? You planned to kill him too, except the bandits got to him first.’’ He placed his gloved hands on the armrests, peering into her face, ignoring the pool of blood seeping into the glove, ‘’so what about my sister? Is she being targeted by you, too?’’

‘’I’ll let you answer that,’’ she said mysteriously.

Kaen studied her eyes, ‘’no, she isn’t. After Sava dies, she won’t have any worth as a monarch in Sahr, as she is childless, and the throne will go to the Princess Mahala. So you won’t bother with her,’’ he said and something told him he was right, ‘’are there any others in Kainan?’’ he waited but Elenia just grinned in his face, ‘’answer me!’’ he slammed his hands into the armrests, frustrated and Elenia huffed a soft laugh.

‘’I’ll tell you one thing; I do not care who hired me, and I do not care what is the mission of the others, if there are any. I am here for personal reasons, and that is to kill every single one of you.’’ She said the last word with disgust.

‘’Well, you failed,’’ Kaen pushed away from the chair, the smirk on his lips matching Elenia’s, ‘’but why do you want to kill all of us, hm? Don’t like the monarchy?’’

‘’No, I just don’t like my _family_.’’

Kaen stopped. He kept his face neutral but his eyes swept over the golden hair and the blue eyes, the strangely familiar face…he exhaled, ‘’a bastard?’’

‘’The only one, don’t worry,’’ Elenia’s grin turned vicious, ‘’Odion was disgustingly loyal, as far as Kings go. I was the first one, born a few days before the wedding of my father to your mother. Have you ever wanted an older sister? Well, surprise. You have one,’’ she tilted her head to the side mockingly, ‘’it’s nice to meet you at last, brother.’’

A muscle in Kaen’s jaw twitched. It was true that Odion had a lover before his wedding, which nearly jeopardised it as the lover had been pregnant, and yet the child died in the womb and after the ceremony he had been loyal to Queen Magnon. Except the child didn’t die; and she was sitting right across from him, ‘’so, what…? You want to kill your half-siblings because you’re bitter about being a bastard.’’

Elenia did not deny it, instead laughing. It was not a pleasant sound, ‘’you would know something about that, Kaen. Being ‘not quite enough’. I was born the same year as Johan, before him, so I should be Queen right now, and yet because my mother had not been married to your father, I was labelled a bastard and, after Magnon became a beloved queen, shunned from Queensbane. Where does one go?’’ she bared her teeth, ‘’to the Moriyan assassins. You should understand me, Kaen,’’ her voice turned gentle, amused, ‘’you’re the second son, not the first. You’re a beta, not an Alpha. You could never be where Johan is. I was born to a peasant mother, and I did not bear the name of Hyndestane so I, too, could never be where Johan is. I even have a half-name. Elenia. Sounds similar to Elentina, doesn’t it? My mother wanted to name me that, but Magnon had already decided on that name for her first born, if it was a girl. So the last time Odion saw my mother, he asked her to name me Elenia – a half-name for a half-child.’’

Kaen shook his head, ‘’so you’re trying to murder innocent people because you have a half-name and no access to the throne? Do you see me doing that?’’

Elenia snorted, ‘’innocent? Please. Odion might have banned the usage of slaves in the Moracay Canyon, but how many years into the reign? 20,000 people died there yearly – we have survivors turned assassins in Cana Kaale. Now, if you look at how many years it took Odion to shut it down, you will understand how many innocents died of him. So don’t give me this _innocent_ crap, when your whole generation of Hyndestanes is made from a murderer. And Johan, my dear little brother…is he a better king? He wages war on Moriya, he wages war on the pirates, he wages war on the bandits, he doesn’t even bother to rebuild Queensport… and you; you’re happy fucking your bride bloody and tossing him in the tower every time things don’t go the way you imagined them in your perfect little head. Oh, yes, I know about that. And you call yourself innocent? Hell, at least I don’t pretend to be pure as you all seem to believe you are solely because you were lucky enough to be born into this dynasty.’’

‘’So, you want to kill your half-siblings because they’re not perfect. In case you didn’t realise, not everyone is. There is no god of perfection you can pray to. If you’re a king, you kill for your country. If you’re a knight, you kill for your king. If you’re a soldier, you kill for you general. If you’re a peasant, you kill to survive. If you’re an assassin, you kill for money,’’ he tossed the scalpel onto the tray, ‘’welcome to life,’’ he scanned the devices, wondering what he should pick next, ‘’so if you’re done feeling sorry for yourself, let’s continue,’’ he chose a crude looking pair of pincers and turned back to the assassin, ‘’who hired you, dear _sister_?’’

*~*~*

‘’We got nothing out of her,’’ Kaen spoke quietly at supper that night to the members of the family he trusted – his mother and grandmother, Johan and Serafin, ‘’only The guards that helped me later with the interrogation found the Assassin Rose burned into her skin just below her ribcage, so there is no doubt that she is a hired killer, and she as much as confirmed that she is from Cana Kaale,’’ he looked at Johan, ‘’the Assassins of Cana Kaale originate in Moriya. Do you think…’’

‘’That maybe it was the King of Moriya?’’ Johan glanced at Serafin, ‘’I suppose that is a possibility.‘’

‘’Well, I for one am happy the immediate threat is gone,’’ Heba drank a healthy gulp of wine, ‘’and with that, since we have ‘cleaned up the mess’, I shall return to Aldhard.’’

‘’Grandmother, but-‘’

Before he could finish, the doors opened and Ilia strolled in casually, once again donned in colourful Moriyan clothes. Johan fell silent, and Kaen stood, as was custom for a prince at the sight of his bride, ‘’I thought you weren’t feeling well.’’

‘’I wasn’t,’’ Ilia shrugged, ‘’but there’s guests that has arrived suddenly, so I came to meet them with you,’’ Ilia said innocently, ‘’they’re making quite the commotion. I think it might be family?’’

Johan and Kaen exchanged looks, ‘’oh, no…’’

‘’Carena Hania of House Hyndestane, Duchess of Yarah, and her daughter, Rozhin Harimanna of House Hyndestane.’’ The porter announced.

Everyone stood, tense, and Ilia glanced at them curiously before the doors opened and two women strolled in. Ilia immediately realised why the reaction had been negative. Duchess Carena came in wrinkling her nose at the surroundings, her wrinkled cheeks pulled taunt as she pinched her lips. Her golden hair, a Hyndestane trademark, was cut through with grey in an almost fashionable way. She wore enough extravagance to be viewed as a Queen, except she did not have the air of one. In comparison her daughter was a lovely, delicate thing an almost identical copy of her mother, except softer. Her long-lashed eyes were downcast as she followed her mother in, pale shoulders revealed in a blue gown. She curtsied but her mother did not bother.

‘’Really, you have let the place go since the death of my brother.’’ Carena wrinkled her nose.

‘’It was lovely to see you at the funeral, sister in law,’’ Magnon said tightly. She came over and they kissed the air around each other’s cheeks.

‘’Yes, well, I was busy. But of course we are all struck by the tragedy of Odion’s passing…’’

Magnon ignored her, moving on to Rozhin to more sincerely kiss her cheeks, ‘’how are you, dear?’’

Rozhin fell to her knees and pressed Magnon’s hand to her forehead, ‘’I am so sorry for your loss, auntie. You have been in my prayers.’’

‘’Thank you, child,’’ Magnon said kindly, helping her stand up.

‘’Oh. Grand Duchess,’’ Carena’s voice was dry when she looked at Heba, ‘’I did not expect you here.’’

‘’Do not worry,’’ Heba said with so much contempt in her voice that Ilia actually felt a little sorry for the Duchess of Yarah, ‘’I leave tomorrow morning.’’

‘’What an unexpected visit,’’ Johan said, reminding Carena of his presence.

‘’Ah, the new king,’’ Carena’s curtsy was neither drawn out nor deep. It was quick and careless, ‘’well, after what happened with dear Aris, and with Mihai and Elentina gone,’’ the way she said the last name made Ilia wonder how much grief the priestess had caused her aunt, ‘’I thought we would come and support the family,’’ _or, more likely, gain favour with the new king_ , Ilia thought and just then Carena directed her attention to Ilia, ‘’oh. He really is Moriyan.’’ The way she spoke the last word made Ilia narrow his eyes and not even extend his hand to the late king’s sister.

To his surprise, it was Kaen who stepped to his defence, ‘’exquisite, isn’t he?’’ he asked casually.

‘’Indeed,’’ Carena forced a smile, ‘’so very exotic.’’

‘’Speaking of exotic,’’ Ilia’s voice was extremely polite, ‘’I have brought with me the best Moriyan dye. Perhaps we could work on those grey streaks in your hair?’’

He felt Kaen stifle a laugh. Carena’s eyes narrowed, ‘’how very kind of you.’’

‘’It is so lovely to meet you,’’ Rozhin said shyly, interrupting her mother. She took Ilia’s hand, ‘’I hope we can be friends.’’

Ilia looked at her properly. She was lovely, but damaged, like a flower not fully bloomed. He could see in her eyes that she wasn’t quite aware of what was going on around her and he felt the need to be kind – genuinely kind. He kissed the back of her hand, ‘’of course, my lady. I would like that.’’

Rozhin flushed, which showed perfectly on her marble-like skin, and moved on to Kaen, ‘’cousin!’’

‘’Roz,’’ Kaen smiled affectionately, embracing her warmly, ‘’it has been too long.’’

‘’It has,’’ she laughed into his shoulder. As she moved on to greet the rest of her family, shadowed by her mother, Kaen glanced at Ilia.

‘’Will you come tonight?’’ he asked quietly.

Ilia allowed his eyes to linger on him before returning to the table, ‘’yes,’’ he said quietly as he walked past him.

*~*~*

As promised Ilia appeared in Kaen’s chambers and Kaen, for once, did not greet him with a rude remark. He didn’t smile. He just watched his husband enter. Ilia noted that he was in his sleeping clothes, the white tunic opened to reveal a triangle of his chest, ‘’husband,’’ Ilia said.

Finally Kaen rolled his eyes, ‘’don’t.’’

Ilia grinned, but he felt suddenly nervous. _It’s an art, it’s an art, it’s an art_ … he told himself, even though his heart beat faster as Kaen’s eyes followed his movement. He had never had the attention of a single male like that. And Kaen seemed captivated with him, much like when he had first seen him. Trying to still his nerves, Kaen picked up a single candle burning in the windowsill and went around the room, taking his time lighting the other candles, ‘’I received a letter from your brother.’’

Kaen frowned, ‘’Mihai?’’

‘’No,’’ Ilia glanced at him, ‘’Aris…he was asking me to speak to my brother to close down the silver mines in Moriya. They’re a lot like your Moracay Canyon was a few decades back,’’ he walked across the room, ‘’to be honest, I’ve been thinking about a plan on what to do with all the people living there for a while now, but with the relations breaking down between our countries, I don’t think it’s wise to ask my brother anything right now.’’

Kaen stared at him, ‘’I wonder what made Aris request that,’’ he tilted his head, ‘’and what made you think about it?’’

Ilia shrugged, ‘’it makes sense. Believe it or not, I’m not that bad that I enjoy making innocents suffer,’’ Kaen glanced down at that. It sounded too much like what Elenia had told him,  ‘’what is to happen with the assassin?’’ Ilia changed the subject suddenly.

‘’She was found guilty of treason and is to be executed at sunrise tomorrow.’’

‘’Oh. Did you get any other information out of her?’’ since it really seemed that Elenia had kept her silence, Ilia didn’t really believe Kaen had any more to say but he was surprised when Kaen confided in him with something he had not told his family.

‘’She is our half sister. The bastard daughter of my father,’’ he said quietly, thoughtfully, ‘’I didn’t know I had another sister.’’

Ilia paused at a candle, ‘’so…will you tell Johan? Or will you allow him to execute her?’’

Kaen shook his head, ‘’they do not need to know, it will only make it harder. She may share our blood, but she is a cold blooded killer. A traitor. She knew the risk.’’ Ilia set down the candle on the windowsill again. Kaen stood, ‘’I do not want to talk about it anymore.’’ He declared, coming up behind Ilia and touching his arm.

Ilia flinched away from him.

Kaen’s eyes widened and he stared at his husband, while Ilia stared at him. He was as shocked as Kaen – since when did his body develop a defence mechanism against him? ‘’S-sorry,’’ he said awkwardly.

Kaen’s expression shifted to something more apologetic, ‘’don’t be. It’s my fault,’’ he grabbed him by his belt and undid it skilfully, pulling his pants down.

‘’Kaen, what are you doing….?’’

‘’Just be quiet for a moment,’’ Kaen said and slid to his knees. Ilia stared down at him, shocked – a prince, an older man, the arrogant Kaen, was on his knees and he was….oh god… Ilia sucked in a sharp breath when Kaen’s mouth closed around him, his hot mouth working him into an erection. Ilia bit his lips, hard. He’d never had this done to him. Kaen clearly had never done it, either, because he was a little sloppy but he was copying what Ilia had done to him on two previous occasions and Ilia felt like he would be brought over the edge embarrassingly quickly. He fisted his hand in Kaen’s dirty blond hair, trying to slow his movements and catch his breath at the same time. Kaen took his hand and put it on his shoulder instead, his hands sliding up the back of Kaen’s legs as he picked up a rhythm. Feeling like maybe he deserved it, Ilia did not warn Kaen when he was coming and his husband took it obediently.

When Kaen’s lips left him, Ilia nearly slid down the wall, breathing hard. Kaen held him up, ‘’do you want me to escort you to your rooms?’’ he asked with surprising tenderness. It pissed Ilia off. He wasn’t meant to grow fond of him.

Ilia lifted his eyes to Kaen, gave him a long, hard glare before grabbing the front of his tunic and pulling him down for a kiss. He was not gentle about it, using a great deal of teeth to pull on Kaen’s lips, but Kaen matched his fire with his, kissing him till he felt like he couldn’t breathe and the world was shifting from under his feet. Kaen made quick work of his clothes and then Ilia, lifting him up. Ilia wrapped his legs around Kaen’s hips and felt himself pressed up against the window. They did not go gently. They went fast and erratic and desperate, although this time Kaen was more mindful of Ilia. He prepared him properly, but he was not delicate with him. And Ilia was glad. If he’d gone slow…then maybe it would have been harder for Ilia to do what he had to do.

The initial pain made him nearly stop the whole thing, but he fought through it and when Kaen felt him tense up, he went slower. By the end he was biting back moans and congratulated himself when none slipped up. After they finished, Ilia had only one concern – grab the potion. But Kaen had other ideas – he dumped him on the bed and went about collecting the clothes. He did not dress himself, instead folding them up. Ilia watched his muscular back as he worked and when he sat up, his hips hurt. He stood and took his pants from the pile in Kaen’s hands, pulling them on.  Kaen looked away, ‘’you can stay here, you know.’’

‘’Not unless you want to wake up with a slit throat,’’ Ilia said with a grin, hopping around to try and get the other pant leg past his ankle.

‘’I wouldn’t wake up then. Idiot,’’ Kaen said, crossing his arms over his chest, ‘’really, just stay.’’

‘’It’s fine. I have my chambers for a reason.’’ Ilia retrieved his tunic and pulled it on.

‘’If it’s just for today…’’

‘’Do I have to spell it out for you?’’ Ilia put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow, sending him an amused smirk, ‘’I need to get the potion.’’

‘’Oh,’’ Kaen flushed and sat down on the bed, ‘’I could…uh…have a servant get it for you?’’

‘’I’d rather not have the whole palace gossiping about what we do in here,’’ Ilia said brightly, buckling up his belt.

‘’I…uh, okay. I suppose that makes sense.’’

Ilia huffed a laugh, ‘’goodnight.’’

‘’Goodnight,’’ Kaen didn’t look at him as he said it and Ilia was out of there like his ass was on fire.

*~*~*

Elenia glanced up and gave a disbelieving snort, ‘’of all the people…I didn’t expect to see you down here. Gods know how you even bypassed the guards,’’ She had long since given up trying to get out of the bonds that kept her in the chair.

Cyr’s eyes reflected disgust, ‘’you look like shit. They beat you pretty well. And your fingers don’t look too intact, either. I doubt you’ll be able to hold a weapon in that hand. Doubt the Cana Kaale assassins will want you back.’’

‘’Doesn’t matter,’’ Elenia shook her head and spat blood, ‘’when I finish the job, I’ll have enough money that it won’t matter,’’ she rattled her aching wrists against her bonds, ‘’hurry up and help me out of here.’’

But Cyr didn’t move, ‘’why should I? I told you I will strike first and once again you chose to ignore me. You brought this down on yourself. Should have listened to me.’’

‘’Stop chatting bullshit,’’ Elenia snarled, ‘’and get me out of here already, or would you like to explain it to the boss later?’’

‘’But, you see, dead assassins don’t talk,’’ Cyr seemed to be smirking behind the piece of material covering his mouth, ‘’you just weren’t careful enough. You made yourself known as a servant, while the majority of this castle don’t even know I exist, or live amongst them, so even if you try to sell me out, they won’t know who you are talking about.’’ Cyr shrugged, ‘’and I don’t remember you rushing to Karim’s help when he screwed up.’’

‘’Well neither did you.’’ Elenia snapped.

Now Cyr was definitely smirking, ‘’exactly. So why would I help you?’’ he blended into the shadows and left Elenia in the dungeon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know how to put this in, but basically the letter from Aris was given to Ryane, who we can presume gave it to Cyr or Yeshel to give to Ilia while he was locked in the tower!


	16. The Three Fingered Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoo-hoo guys! So this chappie was meant to be much longer but I'm super tired & this is already decently long, so the other half of this chapter will be the next chapter, most likely updated tomorrow ;) Enjoy while you can, my half term ends soon so my updates will probably be less frequent (like, once every two days). As always, thank you so much for your support! 
> 
> Alna_King - I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter (even without Aris ;)) Pls, enjoy the multitude of Aris in this chappie. 
> 
> StellaCruz - yaaa, we defo needed a 'non-rapey consumation' of Kaen & Ilia's marriage. Oh my god, yas, I got the Ned vibes from Odion as well, even tho I wrote him xD (Although the characters tend to write themselves). Thank you so much for picking up small parts of the chapter and telling me what you liked, it really helps. And I'm just really happy that you liked it in general! Thank you so much! 
> 
> SeamoreRed - my favourite b! Hahaha I love how your'e all for the assassins, and not for the guy who was about to be killed xD Anyways, thank you for your lengthy review, which is always the first review I look for ;) It was awesome & uplifting, as always!! Please enjoy this chapter!

‘’She’s gone!’’

Johan and Serafin looked up from Johan’s desk where they were going through council letters when Kaen came in, without announcing himself, and slamming the doors open for good measure, ‘’who?’’

‘’The assassin,’’ Kaen didn’t stop. He walked up to the window and then paced back down. He was so frustrated he couldn’t speak for a few seconds while Serafin looked at Johan in horror, twisting round so that his loose tunic swished around, ‘’the cuffs holding her down were all bloody and ragged, the guards are guessing she scratched through them at night,’’ he pointed at Johan, ‘’I told you to get metal over leather. Oh, and speaking of the guards, this was the morning shift one, because the ones that had been guarding her were found with the… _interrogation_ appliances, in their throats.’’

Johan thought fast, ‘’she’s been beaten bad and scratching through the leather must have taken hours. She can’t be too far away. If we tell Kay to go after her…’’

‘’Already done,’’ Kaen ran his hand through his long-ish hair, mussing it up, ‘’gods, we should have just executed her at that point. Goddammit. We can’t have this, not right now. Not when grandmother has just left, not when Carena is here, waiting for us to trip up.’’ Johan swore and slammed his fist into the desk. Serafin jumped as the wood crumpled under Johan’s hand, and his knuckled came back bloody. His outburst seemed to calm Kaen down, ‘’it’s fine, Kay will find her. I just…I’m sorry, damn. I should just have gotten it done and over with.’’

‘’It’s fine. It’s not your fault. We’ll get her. I just…can you go, for now. I need to think this through,’’ he said tightly. He wasn’t angry with Kaen, obviously – he should have ordered the execution straight away. Did he really think she’d crack by morning and spill more information when she withstood torture? As soon as Kaen was gone, Johan swore again and slammed his injured hand into the desk again. He winced this time and Serafin winced as well.

‘’Johan…’’

‘’Goddamn it all,’’ he said heavily, staring at the desk as if he wanted to chop it up, ‘’it’s all a mess. I messed it all up. Elentina is getting on my nerves, jeopardising one of the only two strong alliances I have at the moment. Aris is still gone and grandmother left without helping him. Mihai’s in danger. You’re in danger. Kaen’s in danger. Ilia’s in danger. My mother’s in danger. Every bloody person I care about is in danger and I’m actually relieved Aris is in the mountains, because the bandit king can protect him better than I can right now. I might have just started a war with one of the most powerful countries in the world, even if they have not declared war yet, not even half a year into my reign and to top it all off, I let the assassin go. The assassin who could have been sent by the Moriyan king, and if she had then Ilia…’’ he sighed and not for the first time since his coronation, he felt close to tears, ‘’goddamn it all,’’ he whispered again.

Serafin let the words settle in the air, let it still, before calmly stepping up to Johan and taking his hand. He kissed his split knuckles, cradling the hurt hand between his, ‘’I was going to tell you later,’’ he whispered, ‘’but I think you need it right now,’’ and then he slowly guided Johan’s large hand and pressed it to his stomach. Only now did Johan realise that lately Serafin had only been wearing lose clothes and they hadn’t really done anything from the work-overload… ‘’I’m with child,’’ he whispered, holding Johan’s hand against his stomach with both of his hands.

Johan’s voice was so quiet Serafin strained to hear it, ‘’what?’’

‘’I think it happened on our first night,’’ Serafin explained, blushing slightly, ‘’the palace physicians have examined me multiple times, and they are sure, and they predict it will arrive early next summer,’’ his mouth was finally split with an uncontrolled grin, ‘’we’re going to have a child, Johan.’’

The king let go of the breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding and then he was scooping Serafin up and twirling him around and he was laughing, and he might have cried a little and when he set Serafin down on his desk he hugged him as hard as he could, as if he was never letting go, ‘’gods, but why now? Why now, when everything is unstable…’’ he whispered, even as he repeatedly prayed to the gods in his head – to Caroun, the goddess of Spring and the protector of children and Soyala, the goddess of winter and the protector of mothers, and most importantly Thalia – the goddess of the sun and birth, protector of new mothers, the pregnant and first borns. And, maybe just a little, he sent out a silent prayer to Serafin’s nameless god, to ask her to continue keeping him safe.

‘’It’s always going to be unstable,’’ Serafin said quietly, and somehow it sounded like a reassurance, ‘’we will just grow used to it, learn to deal with it better. And by next summer, we will have sorted everything out.’’

Johan pulled away at arm’s length to look at his husband, ‘’you have made me the happiest man alive,’’ he whispered, holding his face in his hands. He went down on his knees, and pressed a loving kiss to Serafin’s stomach. He could almost feel the light of life beneath the surface.

*~*~*

_Dear Aris,_

_Serafin is pregnant with the heir of Kainan! I am happier than I have ever been and I need you here for the baptism. The child will arrive in early summer, and I want you here for the baptism party, which will happen a week after. If the baby is late, I will send you a letter, but even if it is, I want you here as soon as possible. Kaen has agreed to be the godfather of my child, and I hope you do not hold it against me._

_Missing you,_

_Your brother,_

_Johan Idan I, King of Kainan_

Aris read the letter over and over again, grinning from ear to ear. He couldn’t believe it. Okay, so he knew Kaen and Johan were going to get married to princes, but this was serious – Aris was going to be an uncle! He read the letter again and again and when he was done, he folded it as carefully as if it was his brother’s newborn and tucked it under the pillow. He had so many letters hidden there that at night, when he tossed and turned, the pillow crackled with paper. Just as he finished, Bane came in, ‘’morning.’’

Aris stood, ‘’I was just going to breakfast-‘’

‘’Actually,’’ Bane patted a leather skin bag against his side. Autumn had just begun and the sun was still scorching hot (no so much in the mountains) but Bane was dressed in a fur coat, and his hands were covered in gloves, ‘’I have food in here. I thought we could take a hike.’’

‘’Excuse me?’’

Bane tossed him a bunch of clothes which he had carried in the crook of his arm with a grin, ‘’get dressed. We’re climbing the mountain today.’’

Aris filed through the un-necessarily warm clothes sceptically, ‘’why?’’

‘’Just ‘cause,’’ Bane shrugged, ‘’I feel like going. And it’s kind of exciting to see the snow in Autumn.’’

Aris narrowed his eyes, ‘’wait…didn’t Roshni mention something about Autumn cleaning today?’’

Bane jabbed his thumb behind his back, ‘’you wanna clean, or you wanna climb?’’

‘’Climbing it is,’’ Aris threw on the clothes. Even at the palace he hadn’t been big on cleaning and his servants hated filing through all the useless stuff he had in his chamber. No one tried to stop them as they exited the caves…on the side of the drop, ‘’I said I’d climb, not that I would volunteer for my death.’’ Aris said, arching his head all the way up to look at the mountain, disappearing into fog. Now that he paid attention to the way up, and not down, he noticed that the unevenness of the face of the wall made it possible to climb – but not easy.

‘’Relax,’’ Bane grinned, taking a coil of rope from his bag. He double knotted it around his waist, and checked it three times, ‘’I’ve climbed this mountain a million times. Everyone in the mountain has. It’s kind of like initiation,’’ he didn’t catch himself on time and he quickly turned to Aris, tossing the rope around his waist, ‘’I mean, you’re not getting initiated. But what I’m saying is lots of people climbed this, and no one has died yet. At least not in my life time,’’ he tied it and checked it three times as well, ‘’I’ll go first. If you fall, I’ll hold your weight by the rope till you find a foot grip.’’

‘’Reassuring,’’ Aris said sarcastically, checking the rope himself.

Bane flicked his finger under Aris’ chin, snapping his head up and grinned, ‘’chin up, it’s about time you show some bravery. You know, so you’re not all talk,’’ Bane laughed and narrowly avoided Aris’ kick. Aris was already growing too hot for comfort in his thick clothes, ‘’ready?’’ Bane didn’t wait for his reply. Aris was reassured seeing the ease with which Bane found creviced in the wall, like he’d really done this before. Aris only followed when the rope tying them together grew strained. He watched Bane’s feet and hands closely, to spot the places to grab hold of. Too soon he felt himself too far away from the edge of the caves, the air whipping his hair into his face. He really needed to cut it. Up here the wind was vicious and he was glad for the clothes. He looked down only once and then forced himself to watch Bane’s movements so he could climb.

It was hard. Harder than hours of training, although that definitely made it easier. Pretty soon Aris was out of breath but Bane was scaling the wall with deadly accuracy and speed, ‘’slow down!’’ Aris called but his voice was whipped away by the wind. And just when he thought he would collapse, they reached a plate sticking out of the mountainside. Aris collapsed onto it and shuffled as far away from the edges (which wasn’t very far, as the plate was small) as he could, pressing his back against the wall. It was hard to believe that far, far below the bandits were cleaning out junk. Bane laughed and sat on the very edge, feet dangling off, the rope taunt.

‘’Bane. Bane, get away from the edge,’’ Aris found it hard to breathe, but that must have been the air thinning. He had to practically yell for Bane to hear him over the roar of the wind.

Bane glanced back at him, sending him a wolfish grin, ‘’worried about me?’’

‘’Idiot. If you fall, I fall with you,’’ Aris tugged on the rope for emphasis and then his eyes turned pleading, ‘’please, Bane. I don’t feel so well.’’

‘’Scared of heights?’’ Bane raised an eyebrow, but his tone was not mocking. He obediently shuffled away from the edge of the plate and sat opposite Aris.

‘’No, but any sane person would be scared of this,’’ Aris yelled defensively, and then pales, ‘’oh, gods, the only thing separating us from the fall is this piece of rock jutting out-‘’

‘’Hey, calm down,’’ Bane laughed sheepishly, putting his hand on Aris’ knee. There was nothing sexual about it and Aris found it more reassuring than the actual plate, ‘’I’m sorry, I thought this would be fun. But you’ve not been here long enough to be used to the heights.’’

‘’I thought this was to avoid cleaning?’’

‘’Well, yeah,’’ Bane laughed, ‘’but I’ve been wanting to do this with you for ages. Don’t laugh, but it’s kind of like a bonding experience. Call it courting,’’ he added with a wink. Aris rolled his eyes and made a vulgar gesture. Bane laughed, ‘’there ya go.’’

Aris’ eyes softened, ‘’you tried to distract me right now, didn’t you?’’ Bane shrugged and Aris might have imagined the light blush on his cheeks. Aris turned back to the wall, ‘’I think I feel better when we’re actually climbing, not standing and waiting for doom.’’ They shared some water and kept climbing. Too quickly Aris’ limbs begun aching. His fingers were weakly protected by the gloves, and the skin of his exposed face felt like it was peeling off. The tips of the gloves rubbed off quickly under the pressure of rocks Aris scrambled to grip. He barely managed to pull himself up on the next plate. Bane stood with his hands on his hips, looking out onto the horizon. The land stretched out in patches and he could see towns, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

But Aris didn’t want to see them. He slid down the bumpy mountain wall and curled in on himself, trying to stay as far away from the edges as he could. They were making him feel claustrophobic. Bane knelt by him again, the rope curling between them, ‘’nearly there,’’ he called over the wind, ‘’just a little more.’’

Aris shook his head, ‘’no, no, please Bane, can we just go down? I don’t think I can go that high.’’

Bane clapped him on the shoulder, ‘’no can do. If we go down, we die. Climbing up is way easier, trust me.’’

Aris’ eyes widened and Bane realised it probably wasn’t the best thing to say to him, ‘’then how are we going to come down?’’

‘’There’s a way.’’ Bane assured him and squeezed his shoulder. It felt good to touch him, even minimally, without being shoved away – or punched, ‘’but we have to make it. Come on, man up. Truth is, the bandits don’t think you’re strong enough to climb all the way. Except for Merina. Don’t disappoint her, okay? It’s hard to get her support in the first place,’’ Bane grinned, and cupped Aris’ face briefly, for a short enough time that he didn’t have time to slap it away, ‘’I’m with you the whole way.’’ Bane stood and extended a hand to Aris. There were no more stops and Aris concentrated all his willpower on forcing his eyes to follow Bane’s movements, on making his limbs copy them and on not looking down. Eventually, when he felt he couldn’t do it anymore, he stared at the mountain wall a few inches from his nose and let Bane’s rope keep him going. If he saw a crevice or bump in the wall, he grabbed it and hauled himself up.

And then they were on top of the mountain. Later Aris found out it had taken them more than three hours, but, honestly, it hadn’t felt that long. He knew he was on top because suddenly instead of the rope tugging him up, Bane grabbed his arm and simply hauled him over the edge and onto the tip of the mountain, which was much wider than Aris could imagine. And there was snow. He fell into it on his hands and knees, and the sharp, fresh smell of snow hit his nose. A relieved, astounded laugh was ripped from his throat, rubbed raw by screaming. Bane sat by him, even though his pants were soaked in seconds and waited till Aris gathered himself. He got up on weak legs and Bane followed.

Here, Aris wasn’t ashamed of his weaknesses. It felt like he was a different person. So he didn’t care that he grabbed Bane’s wrist when he looked over the edge. It was almost like they’d jumped into a lake, through a reflection, and were now looking at the real thing upside down, through a sheet of water. The mist had been up, and now it was down. Aris felt a sense of accomplishment. But he had enough of heights. He backed away from the edge and kicked up some snow. He would have started a snow fight, like he used to when he was kids, but he had no energy and his hands were rubbed raw. Bane seemed to sense that.

Aris tried to jerk his hand back when Bane took it, but the King of Bandits held to it tightly, ‘’just let me do this,’’ he said, voice raw from yelling and the cold. Aris watched as Bane pulled off the glove. The vicious wind immediately nipped at it but, despite the cold, Aris heated up when Bane gently brought his hand to his lips, kissing each raw fingertip, his knuckles, then the back of his hand. It sent Aris’ heart racing. His whole body was flooded with heat. Bane’s lips, which were warm despite everything, slid to press against the veins of his wrist, the base of his palm…remembering himself, Aris snatched his hand back, closing it into a fist. He winced when his fingers closed into his palm. Bane let the glove he was holding go and pulled off the second, ruined one before producing a fresh pair from his bag, accompanied by the breakfast.

Now that the adrenaline had died down, Aris was starving. They ate their food in rapid time in the snow, on top of the mountain, chased down by a bottle of rum that further heated them up. Aris glanced up at Bane once as they ate – the tip of his nose was red with the cold, and there were snowflakes in his lashes. Aris’ heart skipped a beat and he did not look up at his mate again. When they were done they packed up the leftovers and begun walking further down the mountain. By now Aris was seriously cold and all he wanted to do was be back in the warm caves, but Bane just kept leading him into the endless white expanse of the tip of the Moher Mountains. Although Aris had to admit the view was breath-taking. From here the other two peaks of the mountains appeared out of the mist like phantom floating ships.

Finally Bane stopped on the edge of the mountain, too close to the drop, but Aris did not see anything remarkable. That is, until Bane knelt down in the snow and swiped his hands around, revealing a half-frozen, metal ring, buried deep in the tip of the mountain. It was about the size of both of Aris’ fists together and it looked ancient, with a feeble string tied to it, which Bane cut with a knife he produced from his belt. It disappeared into the mist. Bane took out a new length of rope and tied it to the ring securely. To his horror, Bane untied the rope from around his waist and tied it to the new, longer rope – now that Aris looked, he saw weathered down, snapped knots all over the ring, that had half-disappeared with age. ‘’Bane…’’ Aris hoped he didn’t look as panicked as he sounded, but his mate didn’t even glance up at him. The wind whipped at his hair.

Once that end of the rope was tied to the ring, Bane grabbed the length of it and yanked Aris to him and untied the one around his waist, before re-tying it around their chests, ‘’trust me, okay?’’ he called, grinning, ‘’this is the best part! I think I measured the rope right.’’

‘’You _think_!?’’ Aris yelled, ‘’and measured for _what_!?’

‘’You’ll see!’’ Bane’s grin grew. He yanked on the rope so that the knot tightened around them, pressing them close together. They could move their legs, but not much else. Bane touched his face again, ‘’you did really well,’’ his voice dropped because they were closer together, and Aris could hear him, ‘’here’s your reward.’’

‘’BANE, NO!’’ Aris screamed as Bane suddenly started running, one arm around Aris’ waist to take him with him and jumped straight off the edge of the mountain into the abyss. Aris screamed and threw his legs around Bane’s waist, his arms wrapping around his neck, holding for dear life. The rope went taunt and they stopped falling. They were in the middle of the air – Aris opened his eyes for a few seconds. It was as if they were suspended between the sky and the earth and it was beautiful. It was much less beautiful when they started swinging back towards the mountain, much lower now, with terrible speed. But Aris would not die with closed eyes.

Which was just as well, because he saw the cave opening as they flew into it, and did not splatter across the wall of the mountain. In one second they were soaring, the wind making Aris’ eyes water, his hair whipped from his face, and in the next the rope brought them straight into the cave opening. It curved over the mouth of the cave for a second and Bane, clearly having done this before, whipped around and cut the rope before it could yank them back out into the open air. They toppled to the floor. Aris, who was still wrapped around Bane, went down on bottom. Bane’s hand snapped out to protect the back of his head as they hit the ground. Aris’ breath was knocked out of him, but he was uninjured. In fact, he barely felt the fall.

He opened his eyes. Bane was hovering inches above him, still tied against him. Aris’ legs were still around his waist but his arms had fallen helplessly against his sides. He looked into Bane’s laughing, hazel eyes for a long while before he smiled, bewildered, ‘’that was amazing.’’ He breathed.

‘’Worth it, right?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Aris laughed, completely unconcerned that Bane was on top of him, ‘’thank you. It was definitely fun. And, gods, that is such a smart way…can we go again? I want to keep my eyes open the whole time the next time round.’’

Bane laughed, ‘’yes. We’ll go again,’’ he said fondly, ‘’but not today. I don’t want you to collapse,’’ he sat back on his heels, pulling Aris up with him, and made quick work of the short, cut rope that tied them together. It fell, separating them and Aris struggled to his feet. His knees felt weak but Bane strolled down the stone steps that lead down into the heart of the mountain casually. Aris followed him and did not sink low enough to beg for help, even though clambering down the dark, stone steps took them a good half hour. Aris wasn’t an idiot; he knew this must have been a passage he hadn’t explored yet, that led halfway up the mountain and was built especially for the thrill seekers that climbed it. When they reached the bottom, they walked for a few minutes through silent, seemingly abandoned corridors till they reached a wooden door.

When Bane pushed it open, they entered the mess hall. All the bandits were gathered within, apparently done with the cleaning, and were staring expectantly at the main doors on the other side – they had expected Aris to chicken out and come back the ‘safe’ way, the prince realised. So when the doors opened, heads turned at the same time. Bane stepped into the death-silent mess hall. But when Aris appeared, the bandits exploded in cheers so deafening, Aris nearly covered his ears. They knocked their mugs of ale on the tables, banged spoons against tables and yelled with pride. When they swarmed him, for once Aris grinned at them. He met eyes with Merina, who stood a little way off. Apparently she had been the only one who believed he would make it – she nodded at him and he nodded back.

But the celebrating did not last long. A bandit Aris recognised only by the face slid into the mess hall, out of breath, ‘’there’s a torcher outside!’’

As quickly as they had swarmed Aris, the bandits swarmed to the doors and outside from the caves. Aris grabbed Bane’s wrist before he could follow them, ‘’what?’’

Bane glanced at him reassuringly, ‘’when an army shows up at our doorstep, we meet them,’’ he said, ‘’but if someone wants to speak to us, they light a torch and hold it up to the mountains till one of us sees.’’ He jerked his head for Aris to follow. When they stepped outside, the bandits were climbing down the side of the mountain to the forest. Aris could see from a distance a person holding up a burning torch high above their head. Aris wanted to follow them down, but his muscles screamed ‘no!’, so he stayed up by the cave entrance, watching from afar. He watched as the sea of bandits, deathly silent, parted for Bane bellow. The person fell to their knees, as if begging him for something, the smouldering torch falling to the grass. May stomped on it, hard, once, obliterating the flames as Merina whispered something to Bane. Aris couldn’t see much from the distance, but after a moment two strong bandits picked the person up. That’s when Aris realised they were injured.

With incredible speed, within ten minutes, the bandits were back up at the cave mouth, Bane at the head of the procession. Aris hung back so that Bane didn’t spot him, watching as the bandits walked past him. He glanced at the newcomer, between the two bandits dragging her. She was very, very badly beaten, missing a few fingers, blonde, her blue eyes practically swollen shut. But when she looked up, her eyes met Aris’ and an unpleasant chill ran down his spine.

Surprisingly, it was Merina who hung back and, once everyone else was inside the mountains, she spoke, ‘’she says her name is Mirtha, and she survived a pirate raid,’’ she met eyes with Aris, ‘’I don’t trust her.’’

‘’No. Neither do I.’’

‘’My instincts tell me she’s not who she says she is. Be on your guard.’’

Aris nodded at the second in command, ‘’so why are we even taking her in? Why didn’t Bane listen to your instincts?’’

‘’Bane has a soft spot for strays, bastards and survivors,’’ Merina said quietly, ‘’and bandit doors are always welcome to outcasts. How do you think we have so many members?’’ Merina looked into the mouth of the cave, as if she could see Mirtha, ‘’still…I’ve never met a pirate who beats their victims senseless. They just get the job done, quick and clean. Don’t want to get their frills dirty,’’ she begun to walk inside, ‘’just ask Dieu.’’

*~*~*

‘’My, my, the last time I saw ya in Cana Kaale, ya had a few extra fingers.’’

‘’The last time I saw you, you didn’t have such a god-awful, ‘bandit’ accent,’’ Elenia countered her visitor. She was lying in bed, licking her wounds. The bandits had left her alone after she shed some fake tears, and now she waited for him to come. Predictably, when night came, he was there, ‘’so, what name did you give them?’’

When Sirhaan told her, she snorted. He crossed his arms over his chest, ‘’still better than Mirtha,’’ he paced around, the twin blades of the bandits glistening on his back.

‘’So, what? You gained their trust. Oh, look, they even gave you a necklace,’’ Elenia motioned to Sirhaan’s three-beaded bandit necklace. Her speech was slurred because of her swollen lip.

Sirhaan sighed, ‘’you were supposed to be stationed at the palace with Cyr. Why are you here?’’

‘’When things go south, _you_ go south,’’ Elenia grinned. The effect was gruesome, considering all her injuries, ‘’after Karim failed, I tried to get Cyr to help me save him, but he was unrelenting. He wasn’t trustworthy, he didn’t want to team up, so I struck before him,’’ she explained, ‘’timed it wrong and everything went to shit. But you – you’re lucky. Sent to the bandits to gain their trust and gather an army to march on the king, and instead you have the youngest prince wander right to you.’’

‘’I’m working on it.’’

‘’I bet you are. I also bet it would take you half the time if you had an extra pair of hands helping,’’ Elenia waved her freshly-bandaged hand in the air, ‘’albeit one with less than five fingers.’’

‘’You want to team up?’’ Sirhaan raised a thick eyebrow.

‘’Precisely. When we set out, none of you wanted to-‘’

‘’ _You_ didn’t want to.’’

‘’…and now Karim is dead, I’m being hunted and Cyr is by himself. Teaming up is the most logical option,’’ she shrugged, ‘’it’ll go fast. Then we go to the palace, do Cyr’s job and split the reward. And the satisfaction.’’

‘’And if Cyr resists?’’

Elenia shrugged, ‘’he wasn’t willing to help me.’’ She sighed, like it didn’t matter, ‘’one dead assassin in action, two…what does it matter?’’

Sirhaan grinned, extending his hand, ‘’I always liked you best, Elenia.’’

‘’Same to you, _Sylver_ ,’’ Elenia sealed the deal with a firm shake of her three-fingered hand.


	17. The Princess' Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In today's menu:   
> A starter of Aris, but the entree is Mihai ;)   
> This chapter is very innocent, just knock yourselves out, you deserve it :D  
> Do you know what's for dessert - SMUT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few general notes - this story is acc inspired by Miia - Dynasty. It's such a chill song, go check it out ;) Like, in general in this fic, if Shay talks normal English and not broken English, chances are he's speaking Asakurian. So at this point Mihai understands maybe 80% of what he's saying, 70% if he's talking really fast. Dunno if this makes a difference, but obvs by the time winter rolls round he'll be fluent, or close to it. This and the next chapter were acc all supposed to be part of the previous chapter but it all takes so long to write xD 
> 
> Alna_King - I'm so happy I didn't dissapoint you in the prev chapter!! Thanks so much for your continuous support <3
> 
> SeamoreRed - thank you so much, as always, for your uplifting, hilarious & interesting review. You're such a motivation. 
> 
> Daiski29 - no, you really can't trust anyone, haha xD I can just tell you that all the assassins I planned have been introduced already ;) Thanks for your review!
> 
> StellaCruz - haha I'm really glad you can understand the reasoning & situation of the characters. I'm sorry I made you WTF so much but your review was absolutely hilarious, I loved it <3 Thank you so much!
> 
> Thank you everyone else for reviewing as well!!!! You guys are absolutely amazing!!

‘’I don’t trust her.’’

‘’Really?’’ Bane looked across at Aris. They were in the forest, trying to catch the last of the sunny days and spar a little in the fresh air, ‘’I mean, yeah, I probably shouldn’t trust her either…’’

‘’But you have a soft spot for broken things’’ Aris said, thrusting out his hand at Bane’s jaw, but Bane easily parried it.

‘’Seriously, have you seen the state of her though? You have to be a little sympathetic,’’ Bane shook his head, taking on a defensive stance as Aris punched again, ‘’those pirate bastards are truly vicious. They’ve been cropping up more often down this side of Kainan-‘’ Bane caught his hand again and sent him backwards, sprawling into grass. Aris jumped to his feet, ‘’you’re too predictable with your punches, when you’re not concentrating,’’ Bane told him, ‘’use your speed to your advantage.’’

‘’I know,’’ Aris snapped.

‘’Don’t get defensive.’’ Bane grinned and then sighed, ‘’I don’t know. I feel like we might have to go and sort them out if the attack on the seacoast towns keep happening.’’

‘’You will. I’m not fighting for you. And why would you even bother?’’ Aris narrowly missed Bane with his kick, ‘’because they’re pillaging the towns that you want to pillage?’’

‘’Okay, so we raided Queensport, but there’s towns we…protect. Kind of. Massacoury, Darien, Belladonna, Blackhaven port, Yarah - we get supplies from them. Which doesn’t mean the people there like us – someone sold out our location to the king after-all.’’

‘’Speaking of my brother,’’ Aris said and dropped his hands. Bane relaxed for the moment, ‘’he’s going to have a child.’’

Something flashed in Bane’s eyes – like…jealousy? ‘’Oh,’’ was all he said.

‘’I’ve been invited to the christening party, and they want me to come in the early summer to help out.’’

‘’No. Out of the question.’’

Aris’ eyes widened, ‘’what!? Why? I’ll come back!’’

‘’No way in the seven hells.’’ Bane practically snarled, picking up his sheepskin to down some water.

‘’Hey,’’ Aris smacked his hand into his chest, hard, ‘’you promised I’d be able to visit my family!’’

‘’But I don’t trust that you’ll come back,’’ Bane burst out, so sudden even the birds in the trees fell silent for a moment, ‘’I’m sorry, I don’t. Not yet. Give it a while. Maybe I’ll change my mind by summer.’’

Aris flushed with rage, ‘’I don’t need your _permission_! You said the mountain is not my prison, so I can go-‘’

‘’You’re not going,’’ Bane said angrily and then looked away, guilty. He tossed his sheepskin away and reached for Aris, his voice softening, ‘’please don’t push me on this.’’ he pleaded.

Aris allowed himself to be touched, to placate Bane, who slipped his hand against his cheek, ‘’come on, please. You can come with me.’’

‘’I can see a million ways how that could go wrong,’’ Bane was unrelenting, ‘’if they have you, they won’t let you go.’’

Aris’ eyes turned dark, ‘’looks like they’re learning from you,’’ he said spitefully, jerking away, ‘’so you’re not only a ruthless scoundrel, criminal and a thief, but you’re also a liar. I’m actually not surprised in the least,’’ and, like Bane had requested, Aris made his next kick unpredictable. His knee made contact with Bane’s balls and as the man crumpled, face twisted in sudden pain, Aris turned back towards the mountain. The kick had given him enough time to climb up to the mountain and into his bedroom before Bane caught up. The way his mate was behaving, Aris would soon become the bane of _his_ existence.

*~*~*

‘’Come in!’’ Mihai had been drafting a reply for Johan when he heard the knock on his door. Here the guards did not announce his guests. He had yet to hear them speak, even as summer turned to his first Autumn in Asakura. He’d just finished assuring Johan how happy he was about Serafin’s pregnancy and how he and Shay would definitely come for the name giving ceremony when Eliha slid open the doors and came into his room. As always she looked radiant, her many layered robes in perfect colour contrast to each other. Mihai didn’t know how she could be so effortlessly beautiful – since he was a child, he’d spent hours each day washing his skin and avoiding fights and jobs that required muscle (that Aris pined for) to keep his skin smooth and his hands soft, he brushed his silver hair, cultivating it as if it was gold, he stayed out of the sun as much as he could to keep himself pale…but Eliha seemed to perform all official duties, as Shay did, and visit friend while looking flawless.

‘’Hello. I hope I am not interrupting.’’ Eliha came and knelt by his bed, sitting back on her heels. She spoke to Mihai in Kai. In the few months that Mihai had been Emperor, he’d gotten used to kneeling instead of sitting on chairs.

‘’Oh, not at all. You are always welcome,’’ Mihai picked up the letter, which was on a wooden writing tableau, and set it on his windowsill in the last rays of sunlight so the black paint would dry faster.

Eliha glanced around the room, ‘’I see you have settled in,’’ her gaze lingered on the soft, flowy curtains Mihai had selected, the new wardrobe for his kimonos, the calligraphy Shay had given him a few days earlier which he had hung on the wall… it consisted of a few symbols that Mihai had learned to interpret somewhat by now -最美丽的新娘

 - _the most beautiful bride_. Shay had a skill with the paintbrush and his letters were always perfect, and stunning visually.

‘’Ah, yes. This is my home now, after all,’’ Mihai sat opposite her, and offered to call one of the quiet servants to serve tea. Eliha politely declined, ‘’but I will be returning to Kainan in the early summer for the naming ceremony of my niece, or nephew,’’ Mihai added.

‘’Really? That is truly pleasing. Finally you will see you family,’’ she smiled but she seemed distracted. Mihai tilted his head to the side questioningly, his silver hair which he now wore out, and longer, falling over his shoulder. She took his hand in both of hers and held it in her lap. She seemed to grasp for words, ‘’I…will be returning to Salar. The Duke of Hernandarias, my husband, has missed me these past months, and I miss my little boy.’’

Mihai’s heart fell, ‘’but…I…’’

She squeezed his hand reassuringly, ‘’you will be okay. You and my brother have finally found common ground and you have a strong soul, despite what you may think. But we all have to be with our families,’’ she stroked his hand, ‘’you have taken the first place in Shay’s heart. There is a no place for me here,’’ she said with a grin.

Mihai looked down, ‘’I think Iomana has the first place.’’

‘’She certainly is manipulative. But when you don’t look at Shay, I do, and I see the way he looks at you. You’ve captured him with your persistence and fire. Everything has always been handed to him on a platter – subjects fall to his knees at his sight, concubines unrobe at a mere flick of his hand…but no one has ever fought for him like you did. Iomana was lucky to be pretty, and his first lover, which made him quickly attached to her. But you are more than a pretty face and a mouth full of compliments,’’ she said it with strength and it gave Mihai courage. At least until she continued, ‘’but…I have come here to…tell you something else, as well,’’ she raised her black eyes to his, ‘’Iomana has begun her birthing.’’

Mihai’s eyes widened, ‘’Shay…’’

‘’Traditionally, the Emperor is not allowed to view the birthing of his bastard, so he is in the temples, praying to the goddess I named my sword after – Thalia, the goddess of new mothers. But he will be done shortly.’’

Mihai felt overwhelmed, ‘’I…what do I do…when he sees the child, he will…’’

‘’You need to seal his love for you before that,’’ Eliha said sternly. She sighed, ‘’it is…wrong, to steal a person’s lover as she is on the birthing bed, giving life to their child. But it is how the world operates. I’m sure Iomana knows this. She has been bestowed with more favour than anyone else low-born in the palace, so she cannot complain. And as your husband, Shay is yours.’’

Mihai stared at her, ‘’are you saying I seduce him while she’s birthing!?’’

Eliha shrugged, ‘’it is up to you what you do. But, as you said, once he sees his child, it will be difficult to gain his attention for the months to come.’’ She gripped his hand tighter, ‘’but remember what I have said to you – if you want something, take it.’’

Mihai stared at their intertwined hands, ‘’but…how?’’

‘’You’ll think of something,’’ Eliha said with a mysterious smile, standing, ‘’come see me off tomorrow morning, my dear friend. And may the goddess Aina smile at you tonight.’’ She added before slipping out of his room and sliding the doors shut.

Mihai continued to observe his hands as if they held all the answers. Finally, he folded them in his lap and bowed down three times, sending a silent prayer to Ayodeji – the Kai version of Aina, the goddess of Lovers – begging for her blessing before finally standing, resolved.

*~*~*

Shay tried hard not to fidget with his hands all the way down the corridor, to appear as regal as possible to the guards lining the walls, but inside he was a bundle of nerves. Was this what every father felt when their first child was coming into the world, bastard or no? Questions banged around in his head – would it be a boy or a girl? An Alpha, Omega, or Beta? He didn’t mind; he’d always wanted children. Would Iomana live through it? Would the child. What should he name it? But all those questions disappeared, leaving his skull echoing with silence, when he entered his bedchambers. His mouth opened a little in bewilderment, ‘’Mihai?’’ he breathed.

Mihai was sitting in the centre of the Emperor’s lush futon, the curtains that concealed it usually half tucked away. He was in a loose, single layer kimono, his body soft and pale in the light of the few candles that had been lit. Incense made Shay’s head spin – or maybe it was the sight of his husband naked, sitting on his heels, staring at him with such lust Shay couldn’t speak for a second. Mihai slowly stood from the futon, his legs impossible long as he slowly sauntered over to his husband, his mouth twisted in a soft smile. He reached the Emperor and touched his face, ‘’Shay…’’ he murmured. He rarely called him by his first name.

‘’Mihai, you can’t be here…’’ Shay said in Asakurian, taking Mihai’s hand from his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to drop it.

Mihai took the liberty of slipping it out of his grip and to the sash tying the loose gown over his shoulders. His fingers stopped there and Shay’s eyes lingered on the sash, but Mihai opted for slipping the gown off one shoulder, revealing pale flesh. He smiled gently, ‘’want to see more?’’ he murmured in Asakurian.

‘’I…’’ Shay licked his lips, ‘’we can…in the other room-‘’

‘’No,’’ Mihai said firmly, but softly, ‘’here. Only here. And I want to sleep with you afterwards,’’ he took a step forward, brushing against Shay, ‘’and wake up next to you.’’ To convince him further, Mihai’s fingers ventured back to the sash. Slowly, letting the anticipation build, he undid the sash and let the gown slide to the floor, exposing his naked body. Inside, Mihai felt embarrassed, but he did not cover himself. This was Shay, his husband; he deserved to know every bit of him, if he was willing to explore. Shay reached out slowly, the back of his hand brushing against Mihai’s collarbone and venturing lower, to stroke the skin underneath which his heart was threatening to beat right out of his chest. His hand became more confident, going back up to caress his cheek and cup with his cheek. Mihai knew he won when Shay leaned down and pressed their lips together in the lightest of kisses. Mihai’s eyes fluttered open and he brushed his hand against Shay’s, pressing their noses together, ‘’you don’t have to hold back,’’ Mihai whispered in Kai.

And Shay understood because in the next instance he swept Mihai up into his arms. Despite his lithe form, he was strong. He carried Mihai over to his mat, which had been forbidden for Mihai, and lay him down. Their next kiss was perhaps a distant cousin of the first because it was hard and desperate. Only now Mihai realised how much Shay craved him, even if he was not a woman. Their tongues brushed together and Mihai eagerly allowed Shay to venture into his mouth. Mihai grasped the front of his kimono, scared he would stop halfway through, but Shay found his hand and brushed against it reassuringly before slipping off the top layer. He sat back on his heels to take off the rest of his clothes and Mihai watched him with a dreamy grin. ‘’You’re beautiful,’’ he whispered.

‘’You’re beautiful,’’ Shay countered in Asakurian. He finally rid himself of his clothing and tied his long black hair back with a ribbon. He took hold of Mihai’s leg and swung it up, pressing a lingering kiss to his ankle before settling it on one side of his hips. He crawled in between his legs and the hand that held his ankle moved up slowly to his thigh, which he caressed longingly, ‘’I’m sorry, for everything…’’

‘’Make up for it,’’ Mihai whispered, pulling Shay in for another kiss. The Emperor slowed down, pressing kisses to Mihai’s forehead. He brushed his fingers through Mihai’s long, silver hair but Mihai could tell there was still something on his mind, ‘’I will give you children,’’ he assured in a whisper, ‘’now, don’t think about that. Just think about me,’’ and with that Iomana left his mind completely. Shay’s hands explored Mihai’s body, his hands sliding all over his wide hips, his stomach and the soft curve of his shoulders, his thighs and face, his arms… Shay brushed his member against Mihai experimentally. Mihai jumped as if he had been struck by lightning and Shay smiled against his lips, repeating the action till Mihai started rocking in rhythm with him.

‘’Are you okay?’’ Shay murmured against his ear before nipping it lightly with his teeth.

Mihai hummed in confirmation, ‘’feels good,’’ he whispered. He was already losing his mind. Almost shyly Shay’s hand slipped from Mihai’s thigh to their members, pumping once. Mihai cried out. Enjoying his reaction, Shay begun touching both of them, his hand developing a steady pace. Mihai noticed now he paid more attention to the Omega than himself, ‘’Shay…’’ he moaned and came. Shay smiled happily, his eyes half-lidded, and pulled settled against Mihai without finishing himself off. His hand, covered in Mihai’s seed, brushed against his entrance. Mihai didn’t tense up, like he expected himself to; he knew Shay would be gentler now.

The first finger slipped in with some resistance. Mihai’s ass ached, with the memory of the previous pain or with longing, he didn’t know, but he didn’t stop Shay. He didn’t want to. He wanted to consummate their marriage and make Shay his. Shay begun kissing his neck in time with the movements of his finger, his tongue sliding in a caress against his collarbones and throats. Mihai moaned softly, closing his eyes, letting himself sense only Shay’s hands on him. When the second finger entered him, he was completely relaxed. The pressure quickly elevated as his hole accustomed itself to the stretch. Shay begun pressing a neat line of tiny, quiet kisses to Mihai’s jaw. His free hand almost unconsciously stroked his arm. When he felt he was ready, Mihai took that hand and pressed loving kisses to it, ‘’you can…’’ he whispered, not finishing, looking into Shay’s night-dark eyes. Shay nodded and withdrew his fingers.

Mihai had thought that he would have to sink to disgusting, low levels to capture Shay tonight. That he would have to force his way into his bed; but he had been invited. He thought that Shay, finally being allowed access to his body, would go wild, messing him up completely, and then he’d run away from what he had created, as always. But Shay was being gentle and loving, like he knew what he was doing, like he’d studied up on it after their first time, and Mihai’s heart swelled with love. After withdrawing his fingers, Shay didn’t hurry it along. He kissed Mihai over and over. Some kisses were quick and chaste, others longer, lingering. He stroked himself a few times to lubricate his length with pre-come and then nudged himself against Mihai’s entrance a few times, letting him know he was there, letting Mihai prepare himself.

When Shay moved into him it made Mihai cry out in pain. He stopped moving, holding his face in both his hands and dropping kisses on his cheeks, forehead, nose and lips, ‘’I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’’ he whispered heatedly in Asakurian, ‘’I’ll go slower.’’ He did, almost painfully slow, but that meant Mihai felt every inch of him slide inside and press against his insides. He found it hard to breathe, in the best way. When Shay sunk to the hilt, Mihai felt full and satisfied already. Shay gave him time, stroking the hair from his sweaty forehead, kissing his closed eyelids, murmuring sweet nothings in his ear, ‘’you’re beautiful. I’m so lucky. You’re doing so well. I’m sorry about everything, I’ll do better. You’re all I could ever imagine. I love you, Mihai. I love you.’’

‘’I love you, too,’’ Mihai whispered, feeling like he’d just been stripped down to his core and Shay could see all the hurt and loneliness inside, and he was now mending him back up. He didn’t know it was possible to feel this happy, ever. When Shay slipped out of him and then back inside, slower than ever, tears gathered in Mihai’s eyes, not from pain but from love for the man above him. Shay wiped them away, giving a few more slow, experimental thrusts. When Mihai sighed against him, his back arching lightly, he began picking up the pace. He groaned softly. Somehow Mihai felt better than any other lover he’d ever had, ‘’Shay…’’ Mihai moan was high pitched, uncontrolled. He didn’t know what to do with his hands – he wanted to reach for Shay but his thrusts were taking away his rational thought and strength. In the haze that was over-taking him, Shay reached for Mihai’s wrists and pinned them above his head on the pillows, using them as anchors so he would not lose control.

Even though Shay hadn’t come before, Mihai finished first, but even as he moaned helplessly, his wrists straining against Shay’s grip as his whole body arched up, his ass continued to grind powerlessly against Shay’s thrusts. Shay came a few minutes after Mihai and the Omega was already ready for him, biologically made to endure sex. Shay allowed himself a moment of lying on top of Mihai, his lips working against his neck, but he was still unsatisfied. This was the first time he was making love to Mihai and he didn’t want to stop, ever. Only when the sun tinted the sky pink did Shay roll off Mihai and lay next to him, calming his breathing. They were sweaty and dirty, out of breath and tired, and yet Shay felt happier than he ever had. Mihai felt the same, and he didn’t want to destroy it.

‘’I’ll go, if you want,’’ he said weakly in Asakurian, his Kai accent thick.

‘’No. No way,’’ Shay rolled onto his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him tightly against his waist, ‘’you’re not going anywhere. Ever. I’ll have servants bring a bigger mat. Sleep with me from now on. This can be your room, too. I don’t care about tradition,’’ he whispered heatedly against his hair, his Asakurian beautiful and flowing, ‘’I love you, Mihai. I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone like this before.’’

Mihai grinned at him happily, scared that he might start crying again as he traced the outline of Shay’s lips, his nose, his fingertips brushing under his eyes, ‘’I love you, too, my lord. So much,’’ he assured, kissing him. Shay pressed them together harder, ‘’and I want to stay here with you all day, but we need to see your sister off,’’ he said with a soft smile. There was no way he was missing Eliha, not after her words had sparked him into action, ‘’don’t worry. We have time.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this was probs my favourite smut scene to write. I hope y'all liked it. I like some really long, caress-based smut rather than actual intercourse-based smut. Like, more cuddles description than acc description of thrusting and ish.


	18. The Star Mover in The Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYS! I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE I HAVE SO MUCH SHIT TO DO ASDSHDIHF9DF  
> Random question - had anyone ever been to Dundee? Does anyone live in Dundee? Does anyone live in Scotland? Does someone happen to go to the University of Dundee? Does someone happen to go there to do Animation? If yes, HOLLER AT ME.   
> Other than that ATTACK ON TITAN SEASON 2 EPISODE 4 WHAAAAAAAAAAT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all my reviewers, especially the ones who wrote to me in Chinese xD 
> 
> SeamoreRed - thank you for your detailed review, as always <3 OMG I can't believe you know Mandarin! That is so awesome! I hope google translate did your language justice xD 
> 
> Deernymph - welcome to the club!! Thank you so much for your review it was so long and so great, not silly at all <3 I feel you about the slow burn romance tho, my fav too <3
> 
> StellaCruz - girlll your reviews are always so hilarious xD Like, I can practically see your gestures and facial expressions in your comments?? Anyway, they're always a joy to read, thanks so much <3 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this long over-due chappie!!!

Even from the mountains, Aris could see the smoke. Since the day Bane had taken him up to the peak, Aris’ fear of the mountain itself had lessened. Now he was at the first resting plate, feet dangling off the edge. It was cold, but not freezing, so Aris took to sitting here more often than in the forest, where he was easily found. He was trying to think of a way to convince Bane to allow him to go to the capital – run away, pay one of the bandits off, just go, not caring what he thinks, beg, bargain, or even try kissing him…but all he really wanted was Bane to trust him to go. Sure, he wasn’t that fond of coming back, but he would, true to his word. It hurt that Bane had no faith in him. During one of his trips to the plate, around mid-autumn, he saw the fires – or the smoke. At first he thought a storm was coming and it was time to climb back down, but upon closer look the clouds turned out to be smoke, coming from the south. There, the biggest city was Yarah – it stretched from the southern end of the mountains all the way to the sea, and the fires were massive. Aris’ heart clenched at the realisation that soon Yarah could look like the charred remains of Queensbane.

When he finally climbed back down it was unsurprising that the bandits were in motion. No one was eating, training or cleaning weapons. They all walked quickly past Aris, not sparing him glances. He saw Wiss doing up the straps of Dieu’s armour, that he rarely saw him use, and Rai and Mido strapping weapons to the lengths of their bodies. Rai even tucked a dagger under his bandanna. The only person not doing anything was Merina – she clumped with May and Roshni, double-checking their leather bags. The girls were in armour, too. Aris approached them, ‘’what is going on?’’

It was May who answered, buckling up her boots, ‘’the Pirates have attacked the coast of Yarah, which is under our protection. Since last winter they had been systematically attacking the lands we protect, and then disappearing to the Asakurian islands.’’ Finishing her buckles, she double checked her curved swords were tightly strapped to her back, ‘’Bane has finally ordered a counter attack we have been waiting for.’’

‘’You aren’t going?’’ Aris turned to Merina, and his heart clenched – was this because she was an Omega? Were the bandits not actually as accepting as he had made himself believe?

‘’No. I volunteered to stay here with a few others. We can’t leave the fortress unprotected,’’ Merina said firmly and Aris realised that Merina was staying because she was one of the few people Bane trusted, ‘’the new girl, Mirtha, will be going too, to prove herself. But you can stay.’’

Aris was grateful for that option. He wasn’t prepared to fight for the bandits, even to save a city. He nodded, wished the girls luck and locked himself in his bedroom. How long would they all be gone? The ride to the edge of Yarah would take days, the battle itself could rage for a while… Aris nervously looked up at the moon-glass window that Bane had mended for him since his escape attempt. What happened if they lost? What would happen if Bane was killed? He would be free to go home. But Aris found that instead of relief, tremendous worry overcame him, not only for his mate but for the others, too. He didn’t try to tell himself it was his Omega hormones raging at the thought of his mate leaving him. He was genuinely concerned for the bandits, as people. He had gotten to know them all – Roshni’s gentleness, May’s stubborn nature, Sylver’s persistent friendship, Wiss’ strength and Dieu’s soft side, Mido’s cheerfulness and Rai’s sleepy humour…it all grew on him. And, yes, so did Bane, but apparently he hadn’t grown on him enough to gain his trust.

Just then the doors to his room opened and Bane stepped in, as if sensing that Aris’ thoughts had wandered to him, ‘’Merina told you?’’ he didn’t reply, ‘’she knows how to run this place, and we should be back in a few weeks. You’re safe with her,’’ Aris crossed his arms over his chest, adopting a defensive stance. He felt Bane approach, but stop a few steps from his back, ‘’Aris…look at me, at least,’’ he begged in a quiet voice.

Aris hesitated but turned. Bane was clad in his armour, scratched and dulled with age and use, and yet he looked so handsome. His skull-tipped sword peeked from behind his shoulder, ‘’Aris…’’ his voice was so soft as he reached for him, but the prince jerked back. Bane dropped his hand, ‘’we’re going now. I…at least…gods, at least smile at me Aris. Please,’’ but Aris didn’t smile. He dropped his eyes and refused to look at his mate, ‘’I could die,’’ Bane’s voice cracked, ‘’don’t you care about me at all? I’m your mate…’’ Aris’ heart clenched painfully, and he wanted to tell Bane he did care a little bit, but, like always, his anger overpowered all other emotion, and he refused to talk till Bane let him go to Queensbane. Because if he didn’t, then this… ‘fondness’ Aris begun to feel for him as a person, and not a bandit king, was a lie. But when Bane simply remained standing there, expecting Aris to give in and embrace him, tell him he would wait or whatever, Aris turned back around to the window. He wanted Bane gone out of his room.

‘’I’ll be back in a few weeks,’’ when Bane finally sp0ke, his voice was hollow, ‘’enjoy them,’’ he added bitterly and then Aris sensed that he had left.

*~*~*

‘’He’s for…me?’’ Ilia reached out his hand to pet the horse. It was the grey one that he had ridden on the night of the Hafwen ball when he and Kaen sneaked out to Queensbane.

‘’Yes. I felt bad for not giving you anything for your birthday,’’ Kaen pressed the reigns into Ilia’s hand.

Ilia gave him an amused look, ‘’I told you, I didn’t want my birthday to be a big deal.’’

Kaen scowled and extended his hand for the reigns, ‘’well, if you don’t want him, give him back,’’ he was clearly embarrassed about giving Ilia anything, and Ilia was oddly pleased with the gift.

He laughed and clutched the reigns tighter in his hand, ‘’no, no, I do want him. He’s beautiful,’’ he turned back to the horse, ‘’I’m going to name him Greyfell.’’

Kaen tilted his head to the side, ‘’…Greyfell?’’

‘’Yes, after Greyfell the Star-mover, the grey giant in the sky.’’

‘’I don’t think I know that story,’’ Kaen crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.

‘’Really? It was my favourite as a child,’’ Ilia stroked Greyfell’s nose as he spoke, ‘’when the gods were born the kingdoms were still occupied by magical creatures – the crows with the crow king, the first wolf people, witches, dwarves, ogres and, of course, giants. One giant in particular, named Grey for his gray leathery skin, was a particularly clumsy one. He tripped over anything and everything, but he was a king, gentle soul. He caught the attention of Tivon – or who you call Bergen in Kainan – the first mountain god, before he went into slumber, hanging over the powers of nature to his two goddess daughters. Tivon thought that, despite his clumsiness, Grey was skilled and worked hard. So he gave Grey a job – he raised him high in the sky, where he was to make the constellations representing the gods. By day he slept on the moon, invisible to all, but by night you could see his great grey form jumping across stars and rearranging them to form the faces of the gods.’’

‘’All would have been well, except Grey was very clumsy. So although he made a marvellous job, one night he tripped on one of the stars and fell through the sky. As he fell, he destroyed every constellation he had made, his body dispersing them, so now the constellations don’t resemble the gods anymore. That had been his problem since birth – he destroyed everything he created by accident. So Grey fell from the sky but when he hit the ground, finally, he hit it with impact. The force of his fall created a massive, deep canyon that became a volcano, that today is known as Glowhill peak, and that has stood there for aeons, the only permanent thing created by him. It is believed the grey giant still sleeps within it, protecting the people of Hernandarias from the deadly volcano. And from them on, he has been known as Greyfell.’’ Ilia finished his story with a grin.

‘’Yes, I definitely didn’t hear that one before. Our stories were quite less…interesting,’’ Kaen tilted his head to the side, ‘’but Glowhill Peak is in Salar, and Tivon is the Salarian version of Bergen.’’

Ilia shrugged, ‘’yes, well, my nurse maid had been of Salarian origin, so she only told me Salarian stories.’’ Ilia suddenly grabbed Greyfell’s saddle and heaved himself up, ‘’either way, I want to take Greyfell out for a ride. Let’s see if he can move the stars.’’

*~*~*

The last few weeks of autumn symbolised the celebrations of Jora. Kaen had taken Ilia, dressed in peasant clothes, to see Queensbane during that time. On practically every street bonfires were lit and the people that were not at work – new mothers and fathers, a large number of Omegas and older children – scooped shovels of fallen leaves of red and orange and brown into the fires. The air was filled with a smoky smell that meant winter was near. The first bonfire, which had been lit on the palace grounds and tended to by the gardeners, symbolised the beginning of the fasting period – you weren’t supposed to eat a lot in preparation for the Soyala festival that lasted for the whole first month of winter, and in which people tended to gain more weight than they had through the year, in order to survive the harsh conditions.

But Kaen wasn’t watching the fires, he was watching Ilia. Once in a while he’d kick his feet through a thick pile of leaves, laughing, or step on crunchy-looking leaves and complain about the injustice of the world when they turned out to be soggy, ‘’do we have a destination?’’ he asked, practically skipping alongside Kaen. He loved being out of the palace.

‘’Yeah, we’re going to the temple to give offerings.’’

‘’I’m not complaining,’’ Ilia peered at Kaen curiously, ‘’but why didn’t we just give offerings at the palace temple?’’

‘’Because I can’t stand the swarms of nobles praying for good fortune, snow, money and love,’’ Kaen stretched and inhaled the smoky air, ‘’here people pray for things that really matter – a good harvest, healthy children, a mild winter, enough food to keep them from starving…I think it’s more authentic.’’

Ilia looked down, ‘’you can’t decide what is more authentic. I, for one, think praying for love is a good thing. Love can be like food to people – if you don’t have any, you wither and die. In Moriya we call these people _bila ‘akmam_ – loveless. If you’re without love, but have a good harvest or healthy children, then you can’t be happy, I think’’ Ilia shrugged.

Kaen looked at him as they walked but Ilia did not glance up, ‘’is that what you’re going to pray for? Love?’’

‘’No.’’ Ilia said but he didn’t elaborate on what he would pray for, ‘’and you?’’

‘’For my siblings,’’ Kaen said simply. They had reached the temple of Jora, a small wooden building that usually only got offerings in the autumn. Outside, amongst the long line of people with humble baskets of fruit and small scraps of food, were the bazaars, selling goods to offer to the goddess of autumn and protector of crones. Kaen purchased a basket of fruit, ignoring the jewellery and satin displayed by eager sellers. Jora did not want material things, but assurance that her people remembered her and desired her blessings. As they stood in the line, Kaen and Ilia did not speak, both lost in their thoughts. Once they reached the temple, already crammed with offerings, they prayed for a short while, both prayers heated and direct, before returning to their horses.

The fires burned for the rest of autumn.

*~*~*

‘’My lord,’’ Ilia looked up from the scrolls he had been reading. There was a servant girl in the doorway of his chambers, head bowed, ‘’prince Kaen is requesting your presence in his chambers.’’

Ilia sighed and waved her off, ‘’tell him I’m busy. I spent all day with him yesterday, what more does he want?’’

The girl lowered her head further, ‘’I-I’m sorry, my lord, but he insists. He told me…’’ she hesitated, and then quoted, ‘’ _tell him to come here and if he says no, tell the guards to drag him to my chambers’’_.  

With a groan, Ilia stood, ‘’who does he think he is!?’’ He demanded out loud as he stormed out of his chambers and hurried into Kaen’s. His feet, stomping on the ground, made much more noise than a person his size should. The guards exchanged curious glances as he barged into Kaen’s chambers, but as soon as the doors slammed shut behind him he knocked into Kaen himself.

Kaen caught his wrists and gave him an amused smirk, ‘’how did I know you were going to rage?’’

‘’Maybe because you knew you shouldn’t order me about like that,’’ Ilia futilely tried to get his wrists out of Kaen’s grip, ‘’what do you want?’’

‘’It’s my birth day today,’’ that made Ilia stop.

He tilted his head to the side, ‘’really? Why aren’t we feasting then?’’

Kaen grinned, ‘’because it’s the Jora celebrations and we’re supposed to fast, so there is little point to a feast,’’ he leaned forward and Ilia stumbled back, surprised, his back pressed against the wall, ‘’so I thought I could have something else,’’ he finished in a murmur, pressing Ilia’s wrists to the wall above his head.

‘’Gods, you really are becoming an old man,’’ Ilia snickered, trying to break the mood.

Kaen picked up on it, ‘’not today, Ilia,’’ he whispered, pressing himself against his husband.

Ilia met his eyes, ‘’did something happen?’’

Kaen laughed, ‘’does something have to happen in order for me to want you?’’

Now it was Ilia’s turn to raise an eyebrow, amused, ‘’so you want me?’’

‘’Body only, don’t worry,’’ Kaen replied, dropping his wrists. Using his thumb, Kaen traced his jaw and slid down purposely till he reached the hem of his tunic and pulled it over his head, ‘’you’ll be my birth day present,’’ Kaen decided once the tunic was off, sliding his hand down his brown chest.

‘’Well, then,’’ Ilia grabbed the front of Kaen’s shirt and yanked him forward, ‘’many happy returns, my lord,’’ he kissed him harshly. That was how it always went down with them – quick, intense, rough. Kaen begun undoing his belt, kissing him fiercely till Ilia was out of breath, ‘’can we at least do it on the bed?’’ he asked, voice uneven.

‘’No. I want it here,’’ Kaen said, sliding his hand under Ilia’s undergarments to silence him. Ilia gasped and arched into Kaen’s touch. Kaen grinned, ‘’you don’t seem to mind, either way,’’ he added, kissing his neck. Ilia hissed when Kaen’s teeth bit down there, and his lips sucked with a ferocity. He knew his neck would be littered with marks by the end of the night, that he wouldn’t be able to cover up, and he’d be paraded like Kaen’s prize. The thought made him angry, but Kaen’s hand steady on his growing erection made him more placated. So he grabbed Kaen’s hair harshly and jerked his head up. Before he could protest, Ilia slid his lips over his jaw, just to the left of his lips and sucked, hard. Kaen yelped, ‘’ouch, Ilia, gods…’’

When Ilia pulled away with a wet pop, he smirked. There was a large mark blooming on Kaen’s jaw, almost like a bruise. Kaen scowled at him and grabbed his arm, twisting him around without finishing him off and pinning him to the wall. He tore off his undergarments and cupped his ass cheek, his fingers digging into the dark flesh harshly. Ilia leaned his forehead against the wall, his hands curling into fists against it. He yelped when Kaen’s hand came down suddenly on his ass, the sound resonating through the room, ‘’ah, don’t do that…’’ he whimpered but Kaen did it again and Ilia pressed himself into the wall, seeking friction against his now-painful erection. It wasn’t bad. It was actually really good, and Kaen seemed to sense that.

‘’Enjoying yourself?’’ Kaen snickered in his ear.

Ilia twisted his arm out of his grip and flipped around to face him. They stared at each other for a few moments, before Ilia grabbed Kaen’s pants and pulled them off. Kaen wiggled his ankles out of the pant legs and lifted Ilia up. The younger boy wrapped his legs around his waist and looked down on him. Kaen was quite handsome when he wasn’t scowling or brooding. Almost subconsciously, Ilia cupped his face, looking into his eyes. Kaen leaned forward, pressing Ilia’s back firmly against the wall before releasing him with one arm. Ilia felt his fingers slide into him and he gasped, looking away. He felt his cheeks flood with heat and suddenly he couldn’t look at Kaen anymore, who for once wasn’t smirking or teasing him, just watching his reaction. He his face in Kaen’s shoulder, closing his eyes and letting the steady pump of his husband’s fingers be his focus. He felt himself grow hard against Kaen and was aching for him when Kaen finally removed his fingers and positioned himself at his entrance.

It was clumsy, what with Ilia being up against the wall, but the fact that Ilia had to wait for it made it all the better when Kaen finally moved into him. He still wasn’t used to him enough to take all of him at once, but he slid Ilia on at a steady pace and by the time Ilia hit the base, he was keeping back moans. He hadn’t moaned in front of Kaen yet, he didn’t think. At least not until the very end of their sessions. He didn’t need to be teased about it afterwards.

Once he was fully in, Kaen wasted no time setting a quick, almost rough rhythm. Ilia’s back was pressed almost painfully against the wall, making him hyper sensitive to Kaen’s hands, which roamed his body. It was a wonder how he could keep Ilia up without holding him properly – it was probably thanks to Ilia’s hips wrapped tightly around his waist and his arms clinging to his neck. Kaen found his spot quicker than usual and, surprised, a soft moan that may or may not have been Kaen’s name slipped out from his lips. He released Kaen’s neck to clamp his hands against his mouth, not realising his mistake till he was tipping backwards. Kaen grabbed him before he could tip all the way down and they hovered in the air for a second, before Kaen slowly lowered them to the floor.

‘’Let’s do it the other way…’’ Ilia said, still blushing, which thankfully didn’t show up on his brown skin that much. He didn’t think he could take much more of Kaen staring directly at him. It made him surprisingly shy. But Kaen was unrelenting. He took hold of Ilia’s wrists, pinning them on either side of his head and leaned down. He brushed his nose against Ilia’s, almost a silent question. He was still half-buried in him, but he wasn’t moving. Finally Ilia relented, tilting his head upwards. When Kaen kissed him, it wasn’t their usual hard, rough kiss. His lips moved slowly against Ilia’s, the hands on his wrists loosening a fracture to hold them gently rather than pin him down. Kaen withdrew his hips and his next thrust was smooth, like a glide. One of his hands moved with his hips, sliding up Ilia’s wrist and against his hand. Kaen laced their fingers together, his other hand moving to keep Ilia’s face in place as he laid waste to him with kisses.

Ilia felt himself melting into the floor, in a way he had never before during their night time activities. He was not accustomed to Kaen’s gentleness. Kaen’s thrusts did not speed up. They remained even, slow and deep, in a way that made Ilia unable to keep back his moans. Too quickly he was being brought over the edge. His fingers dug into Kaen’s palm almost painfully as he gasped, ‘’wait, Kaen, I can’t…’’ Kaen kissed his forehead, stroking his cheek as he came, whispering his name helplessly. Kaen stayed with his lips against Ilia’s sweaty hair till the young prince’s chest stopped heaving so erratically, ‘’you didn’t finish…’’ Ilia’s breath was still a little uneven.

‘’That’s okay,’’ Kaen assured, going to get up but Ilia pulled him back down. Kaen looked surprised as Ilia kissed him, gently but deeply, moving his hips against the erection still inside him. Kaen didn’t protest further, but he did not fuck him raw like he usually did. He went gently again, moving his lips down to favour Ilia’s neck. He traced his chest with his mouth, his hips never ceasing to move. When he was close, he kissed Ilia again. He grunted and came, and Ilia’s back arched at the sensation. He was hard again but he took his time, kissing the small beauty marks below Kaen’s right eye and, in the corner of his left one and below his mouth. But Kaen wasn’t letting Ilia walk away without being thoroughly satisfied. His hand slid over Ilia’s erection and Ilia yelped, ‘’you don’t have to…’’

‘’I’m sorry I ordered you to come here. I’ll ask next time,’’ Kaen promised, his hand moving up and down Ilia’s lubricated shaft. Ilia’s eyes were half closed, hazy with pleasure, but he had the feeling Kaen was apologising for much more; maybe all of it, in his own clumsy way. Ilia didn’t say anything, but pulled Kaen down for another kiss. He was learning to profoundly enjoy the taste of his husband’s lips. Once Kaen finished him off, he lay on top of him. Ilia liked the weight of him on his chest, and wrapped his arms around his neck, slowly coming back to earth as the bliss dispersed. With it, came the realisation of what Ilia was doing. This was dangerous – Kaen being kind and gentle was definitely dangerous. But it had been even more dangerous beforehand.

Ilia was young and not nearly as ambitious as his brother. He thought it would be much easier, but actually having a husband, someone exclusively yours…it made things much more complicated. And Ilia didn’t want to think about it then, so he turned his head to whisper against Kaen’s ear, ‘’I want to go again.’’ And Kaen didn’t protest. He just lifted him up and carried him to the bed, where they made love for the rest of the evening. Finally, too exhausted to do it anymore, Kaen withdrew from Ilia but remained on top of him. He brushed his nose against his nose and his lips against his lips, stealing quick, sudden kisses once in a while that made Ilia giggle and Kaen grin. Ilia stroked his face, feeling a strange need to keep Kaen close, ‘ _’ant hi sinaea hadhih alssaeb ‘iilaa ean ealaa ‘ana, li amyr.’’_  

Kaen smiled, his eyes closed, ‘’what does that mean?’’

‘’Nothing much,’’ Ilia shifted, pushing Kaen off him. Kaen lay down on his side and stroked Ilia’s hip under the furs.

‘’I like it when you talk Moriyan,’’ he said, shifting closer. Ilia smiled at him sleepily, ‘’say something else.’’

Ilia thought for a second, before touching Kaen’s cheek thoughtfully, ‘’’ _ana yuffakir ‘ana qad hubut fi hubb mae ‘ant, Kaen_ ,’’ he whispered.

‘’You say my name in such a strange way,’’ Kaen said with a tired smile, ‘’I like it.’’

Ilia smiled back, pressed a final kiss to his lips and sat up, leaning down to fetch his tunic. Kaen was up in a flash, wrapping his arms around him, restricting his movement, ‘’I thought you’d stay tonight,’’ he sounded like a sulky child.

Ilia looked at him over his shoulder, ‘’potion, remember?’’ he gave him a lingering kiss to placating and made to get up, but Kaen’s arms tightened on him.

The prince kissed his brown shoulder and when he spoke, Ilia wondered if he imagined the words, ‘’don’t take it.’’

He inhaled, sharply, but when he exhaled it was slow, levelled, ‘’you understand what you’re asking, don’t you?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Kaen hesitated, and his arms loosened, ‘’I won’t force you to. It’s your body, so your choice. I just…’’ another kiss to the shoulder, ‘’…wanted you to know that I would want to. If you’d want to.’’

Ilia huffed, amused, ‘’who would have thought that Serafin’s pregnancy would awake paternal instincts in you.’’

‘’It’s not because of Serafin,’’ Kaen sat up, and then deflated, ‘’okay, maybe a little, but…’’ one hand fell to touch Ilia’s stomach gently, ‘’there are other reasons, too.’’

It couldn’t happen. It was contrary to the mission. Izyan wanted to get rid of the Hyndestanes, not create a new generation of them. For the first time, Ilia really, truly thought about what his mission entailed. It meant the murder of Johan, who had been nothing but kind to him. It meant the murder of Serafin and the innocent child inside him. And it meant the murder of Kaen, who, despite being arrogant and aggravating, was his husband and even though they weren’t officially mates, it felt like they could be. Maybe. If they both let themselves be. Slowly, without another word, Ilia lay back down on the pillows. Kaen dumped himself happily behind him, leaving his arm around Ilia’s stomach.

*~*~*

Aris couldn’t run away. Every time he tried to grab his clothes, walk out of the forest and down the mountain, pain seared through his body like a hundred hell-hot knives digging into his skin. He cried with frustration, hit trees, kicked rocks, bloodied his knuckles, and bruised his feet…that was in the first few days since Bane’s departure. The mountain hide out was silent, almost mocking him. Now, finally, he had a chance to go but his Omega finally decided to reign in his temper and stubbornness. He moped around the corridors for most of the day, not even eating dinner. Merina left him be. Soon enough there was a physical ache for Bane. Every day, when he wandered the corridors mindlessly, Aris would end up at Bane’s doors. He found that when he sat on the edges of the plates, he was scanning the horizon for the returning bandit party. Some nights, he had nightmares that Bane wouldn’t come back, and he woke in cold sweat. More often than not, he woke in a different kind of sweat, mind cloudy from dreams about Bane, his fingers and mouth on him, rock hard between his legs. Even after touching himself, he felt no satisfaction. When Bane was around, he could push down his Omega, which became submissive under his presence, but without him around, Aris’ heart and body raged. He craved Bane, his physical presence, his touch, his voice, just bumping into him in the corridors, and it terrified him more than any army ever could.

By the end of the first week since Bane’s departure, Aris was a clump of nerves. He couldn’t even worry about Roshni, who was too gentle for the battlefield, or Wiss, who undoubtedly would become reckless when protecting Dieu, and Dieu himself who would be fighting his own – the pirates. At night he couldn’t sleep, not wanting to be plagued by his dreams, which made him irritable by day. The few bandits that stayed behind to guards the caves steered clear of him. But not Merina.

‘’He’ll come back, you know,’’ she said in the middle of the second week, sitting by him on one of the plates. Autumn was in full swing now and it was beginning to become quite cold. Even so, Aris couldn’t stay inside, ‘’he always does.’’

‘’I’m not worried about him,’’ Aris snapped, rubbing his eyes. Gods, he was tired.

‘’Then why are you still here?’’ Merina asked simply.

Aris looked at her for a long while, ‘’I think you know why. Even if you don’t have a mate…’’

‘’I had a mate,’’ Merina stated it so casually, without any emotion, that Aris flinched, ‘’so I know what it’s like. But if it’s any consolation, he will come back.’’ She finally met his eyes, ‘’and by then, you need to figure out if you want to be here, or not. I know he wants to keep you here no matter what, but he will break both of you that way. So figure it out.’’

‘’I want to go home!’’ Aris burst out and then dropped his face in his hands helplessly, ‘’but I can’t.’’

Merina stared onto the horizon for a while, ‘’maybe it’s time you give in to him. See how it is. Maybe not nearly as bad as you think it will be. And once Bane sees that you are opening up, you will be allowed more freedom.’’

‘’But I’m not a child! I shouldn’t need his permission,’’ Aris said, frustrated.

Merina grinned, ‘’I know, but there’s nothing you can do about these Alphas. They’re stubborn and protective as all the seven hells.’’ Aris found his eyes returning to the horizon. He dreaded Bane coming back; he dreaded Bane not coming back. His mental state was in shreds. Eventually Merina got up, ‘’if you want to, you can come play something with me tonight. I find I can’t sleep either.’’

‘’Why not?’’ Aris turned to watch her go.

She grinned at him over her shoulder, ‘’I worry about my girls too much.’’

Aris took Merina up on her offer that night, and every night after. But Bane didn’t return that week. Or the next. Or the next. Slowly, the Autumn was coming to a close. And still Bane was not back.


	19. The Better Suited Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chappie! Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alna_King & SeamoreRed - YAAS AOT
> 
> SeamoreRed - as always, thanks so much for your review! I love how you enjoy the small bits, it really, really makes me happy. ''Everyone gets a horse'' - LITERALLY MY REASONING!! I feel you about the wrist pinned to walls tho - I LOVVEEEEE that trope. It's such a good, under-rated thing! I feel like anything I make the couples do will make you hurt at this point...but, like, good hurt? xD ''All good things. All good things'' - new fav mantra xD OMG GIRL YOU THOUGHT I WAS DEAD LMAOOOO but seriously, thank you for worrying. That is honestly so sweet. Even tho I don't know you I feel like we're like fanfic family :D Anyways, thanks so much <3 <3 
> 
> StellaCruz - I am proud of your correct use of an English idiom ;p Loool ''don't kill him...he can be injured or something'' - like, cut off his leg or an arm or something, just don't kill him xD love that xD ''Romantically awkward duckling'' I. Cracked. Up. About the Bergen thing, there's acc a site where you toss in a meaning, like 'mountain' and it comes up with all these names that mean that, so Bergen actually means Mountain and is, quite possibly, a German name. Good eye! Omg I love how you're German tho! Like, I have someone speaking Mandarin, someone speaking German, and I'm Polish...all my foreign babies give me so much support!!! Ya, my exams are coming in about 2 weeks as well, so good luck to you, we can make it, we're gonna do awesome, thanks so much for all your support! 
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who supported this fic so far! I love y'all <3

Serafin’s and Johan’s hands touched over his desk and they smiled at each other. Johan’s eyes lingered on Serafin, even as he turned back to the paper work. He found he was more in love with his husband than ever. Serafin’s protruding cheekbones, which Johan loved to run his fingers along, seemed less harsh in the early morning sun. Johan was desperate for the child that was but a quickening in Serafin’s belly. He didn’t look pregnant yet; he just looked like he had gained weight. Every night Johan peppered Serafin’s stomach with kisses, as if he could coax the child to grow faster. Boy or girl, Omega, Beta or Alpha, he already loved it.

Johan’s doting on Serafin was suddenly interrupted by a door being thrown open. Johan looked up and tried to keep the irritation off his face as Duchess Carena sauntered over to his desk, the page at the doors stumbling to announce her. Carena gave a deep curtsy to Johan, ignoring Serafin, ‘’nephew.’’

‘’Aunt,’’ Johan inclined his head, the word bitter on his mouth.

‘’I am pleased to announce that Rozhin has finally expressed her wishes to be your wife.’’

The words rang through the silent room as if a thousand temple bells had been struck at once. Johan felt Serafin tense up next to him, ‘’I am married to King Serafin,’’ he said icily when he finally found his voice.

Carena tilted her head to the side innocently, ‘’but surely my daughter is more suited for your wife and Queen. She does not mind that you have been married before, and I have contacted the high priest in Santa Sierra. He has agreed that under your current husbands mental conditions, which you were unaware of, a divorce could be gran-‘’

‘’I don’t think you heard me. I said I’m married to Serafin.’’ Johan repeated, his tone deadly. Under his desk, Serafin took his hand and squeezed it, trying to steady him.

Carena did not seem bothered by his declaration, ‘’I am sure your mother will share my concern,’’ a blatant lie, ‘’after all, I am only thinking of your well being. A Mad King on the throne and a mad child in the belly does not symbolise anything good.’’

‘’Enough,’’ Johan’s sharp tone reverberated over the room.

Carena’s eye twitched, once, like it always did when Johan got on her nerves as a child, when she visited in the summers, ‘’watch your tone. I am your aunt.’’

‘’And I am your King,’’ Johan stood, letting Serafin’s hand go gently, ‘’so if I were you, I would watch my tone. Firstly, you will not pull Rozhin into this. You know as well as I do that she has no wish to marry me, but simply is trying to please you, her mother, and taking advantage of that makes you more disgusting than those men that took my brother,’’ Carena turned red with embarrassment at the insult, ‘’secondly, even if my mother would support your plan, which she will not, she is no longer Queen and she holds no power over me or my decisions. Therefore I advise you retreat to your chambers before shaming yourself further with your vile suggestions. You should honestly think about the extent of your stay.’’

Carena gritted her teeth together before curtsying suddenly, ‘’I have arrived to be with my family in these hard times,’’ she said with fake sweetness, turning and leaving.

Only when her footsteps ceased to echo in the corridor did Johan sink back into his chair. He took Serafin’s hands and did nothing but kiss his knuckles and wrists for a good few minutes, calming himself with the taste of his skin and the feel of his pulse against his lips. Finally he spoke, ‘’I can’t believe the nerve of her. She knows I love you. She knows you are to have my child.’’ He touched Serafin’s stomach longingly, ‘’I won’t stand for you to be called mad any longer. Not you, and not our child.’’

Serafin smiled affectionately, cupping the King’s face in his hand, ‘’it’s alright. I don’t mind.’’

‘’You’re not mad,’’ Johan insisted, eyes blazing.

Serafin shrugged, like it didn’t matter, ‘’maybe I am.’’

‘’I love you,’’ Johan said out of nowhere, his features softening. He drew Serafin to him, kissing his forehead, ‘’mad or sane, I love you.’’

‘’I know,’’ Serafin grinned at him, ‘’which is why I don’t mind being called that.’’

Johan pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, ‘’you may not mind, but I will not stand for this.’’

*~*~*

‘’Are you trying to run away?’’ Kaen opened an eye sleepily. His arm was sprawled over the warm spot on the bed where Ilia had lain minutes before, ‘’you’re not very good at it.’’

Ilia was combing his curly hair with his fingers at the foot of the bed, his tunic not yet tied, exposing his chest, ‘’Finn and Johan have been up for hours, attending to states of matter. I think you’re the laziest royal in the palace.’’

Kaen swore at him and sat up. Ilia was futilely trying to braid the few strands of his hair that were always in a little plait against his neck. The two red beads that topped it off were lined on the floor, ‘’here,’’ Kaen sat up properly and sleepily took hold of the strands of hair. Their fingertips met.  Kaen quickly and carefully braided the hair, which was quite a challenged considering how curly it was, before threading the beads onto the tip.

Ilia thumbed it thoughtfully, ‘’thank you.’’

Kaen brushed his hand through his hair, once, ‘’silver definitely wouldn’t suit you,’’ he said out of nowhere.

‘’Thanks,’’ Ilia said sarcastically.

‘’I’m saying I don’t mind,’’ Kaen said, irritated, before sinking his nose into the curls and inhaling Ilia’s lotus smell, ‘’that you’re not an Omega.’’

Ilia turned to him, eyebrow raised, ‘’how much have you been drinking?’’ Kaen looked at him for a while, not replying. Finally he slid his fingers under Ilia’s chin, tilting his head up. Just before their lips brushed together, Ilia spoke with a grin, ‘’by the way, a servant came in here, saying your brother is requesting you in the council chamber.’’

Kaen dropped Ilia’s chin as if he burned and swore, struggling to his feet. Ilia flushed when he realised Kaen was naked but the prince didn’t seem to mind, collecting clothes and throwing them on, ‘’thanks for telling me before.’’ He snapped.

Ilia shrugged, working off his blush, ‘’you were sleeping.’’ Kaen jogged to the doors but his hand stopped on the handle. He turned to Ilia, still sitting on the floor. He smirked, ‘’what? I’ll still be here when you come back.’’

Kaen’s face softened, ‘’right,’’ he breathed and disappeared behind the doors.

As soon as the doors closed, Ilia’s smile disappeared and he got up purposely. It was time to end this.

*~*~*

Kaen entered the Council room. He hadn’t actually been in it yet. Out of necessity, as well as trust, Johan had appointed him Warfare Overlord, a title he now shared with the Queen Mother. While he was Kainan’s strategist in times of need, it was Magnon who commanded the military. She also held the title of Golden Overlord, the treasurer and royal book keeper, since she was better at paperwork than anyone. The inner council was small, and incomplete. After years of serving King Odion, many had resigned their positions to live out their last years in peace and now Johan felt the pressing need to fill the places.

Kaen nodded at each person gathered around the table in turn. The seat closest to his left was occupied by Rehan in all his extravagance, freshly back from his negotiations in Moriya. He was not only the ambassador but also King’s Emissary – or, in honest terms, his proxy – as he had been during Odion’s rule. The council was short one chair – the Espionage master wasn’t there because, well, Johan hadn’t appointed one yet. And perhaps a spy master would be useful now. Jhoka, the Overlord of the Charter, sat primly next to Magnon. She overlooked the laws and Kaen had a feeling that Johan would have to call on her to call on Parliament to fund a war sooner than later. Captain Eyrie, the Naval Overlord and supervisor of the royal fleet was not there. Kaen didn’t think he’d seen her in over a year – she had her hands full with the pirates and she was undoubtedly readying herself for an invasion on Moriya. Last of all, on the opposite end of the table, sat Kay, the Captain of the Guard. They all looked tired and weary, like they had been arguing for a good hour or two.

‘’We have been waiting for you,’’ Johan said tightly. He was stressed. Serafin placed a hand on his forearm placating.

‘’Forgive me,’’ Kaen said shortly, ‘’what is this about?’’

The councillor exchanged uneasy looks but it was Magnon who spoke, ‘’Johan wants to pass a Treason law.’’

Kaen frowned at his brother, ‘’at a time like this?’’

‘’What we need now is stability,’’ Johan said, voice hard and strong, ‘’and how can we have stability in Kainan when my own court does not respect my consort?’’

‘’Let me guess,’’ Kaen sat in his chair, ‘’you want to pass a law that anyone who speaks out against you, Serafin or your child, or acts against you, or even thinks against you, will be convicted of treason.’’

Johan nodded, ‘’Serafin is not only my consort, but your King, and yet the rumour of…his madness have not dispersed, and have moved onto our child.’’

‘’This is about _words_ ,’’ Jhoka said, ‘’not actions. With a threat from Moriya, we cannot waste time on things like this.’’

‘’I will not have this stand. If it does, no law will disperse it and our credibility as rulers will be undermined.’’

‘’Fair point. I second this law,’’ Kaen said.

Rehan put his head in his ringed hand, ‘’we are dealing with _children_ ,’’ he snapped.

‘’Hey. They’re good kids,’’ Kay snapped right back, sitting back up.

‘’What you all don’t seem to understand,’’ Johan stood, ‘’is that I am now King. Not crown prince. Not heir to the throne. Your King and I demand respect. I will not be called a child just because I am young. I have brought you all here to advise and support my decisions but if you can’t do that,’’ he pointed to the doors, ‘’then, please, _by your leave_.’’

A weary silence descended onto the room until finally Jhoka inclined her head, ‘’I shall present this to the parliament.’’

*~*~*

Cyr, mouth and head covered as always, stood propped up against the wall, brown arms crossed, eyes narrowed into slits. He was staring at Yeshel, who looked older than her sixteen years under the harsh glow of the candlelight in the dungeons. Her hair, too, was covered by blue cloth. They both turned when Ilia approached, and dropped to their knees. Ilia didn’t bother with niceties, ‘’I’m calling the mission off, Cyr.’’

The assassin took his time raising and when he did his eyes were cold, flat, ‘’being bred like an animal made you change your mind?’’

‘’Watch your tone. He is still your prince,’’ Yeshel hissed, slipping in front of Ilia but the prince didn’t bother raising to the bait.

‘’You are officially off the job. I will pay my half of the money, so go back to Moriya.’’

‘’You turn your back on family pretty easy.’’ Cyr’s voice was even but there was a dangerous edge to it.

‘’When did you turn into a nationalist?’’ Ilia tilted his head and snorted, ‘’just take your money and go, like a good little assassin,’’ his face softened as he extended the money to the assassin, ‘’I’m serious, Cyr. If not for the money, then for the friendship we once had, before we went our separate ways. Just leave. Take the money and start again.’’

‘’Maybe I don’t want to start again,’’ Cyr straightened, ‘’maybe I like being what I am.’’

‘’Then kill in Moriya.  But do not kill him. Not Kaen. ’’ the ice in Ilia’s voice matched Cyr’s.

Finally Cyr dipped his head, ‘’as you wish, little prince,’’ as he walked past him, he swiped the sack full of gold, ‘’but remember; I answer to the King of Moriya first and foremost,’’ and then he dissolved into shadows.

Ilia looked at Yeshel. They’d been around each other long enough that they did not need words to communicate, but Ilia still spoke, ‘’keep an eye on him. I don’t trust him.’’

‘’Wisely so,’’ Yeshel gave a small smile as she, too, turned to go, ‘’I’m glad you changed your mind, my lord.’’

And so life went on in the palace. The fear of war was still there, but lessened, as Moriya remained as silent as a corpse. There was no hide nor hair of Aris, and Mihai remained cooped up in Asakura as the canals froze over with oncoming winter cold. Cyr remained in the castle, somewhere between shadow and brick walls, always unseen and, when the Autumn finished and finally gave way to the Goddess’ Soyala’s frosty breath, Cyr decided it was about time to strike.

War was coming.


	20. PART II: The First Winter Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the support <3 Especially my babies, SeamoreRed, Alna_King and StellaCruz, I'm sorry, I'm so tired I can't reply to your comments but trust me that I laughed and got like all giggly and super happy over them because the amount of effort you lot put in your reviews just makes me squeal.   
> Thank you everyone else too, of course! Your support is so so SO appreciated!!!  
> Enjoy the chapter, and be on look out - I have some awesome things planned for some of the pairings in the next chappie ;)

Serafin stood on the balcony, like he so often did, and looked out into Queensbane. It was cold now, colder than Salar ever got. In Salar Serafin had to wear furs to keep warm but here, even they didn’t keep out the chill. Something landed on his nose and Serafin smiled. He had yet to experience snow – so far there had been a light dusting of it here and there, but Johan promised there’d be more by the Feast of the Dead. And if not, then Johan had said he’d ride with Serafin all the way to the south of Kainan where the snow was already piling up. The Moher mountains seemed to split the country in half, and behind it the cities were left exposed to the unpredictable weather. Serafin liked standing on the balcony at night the most, because he could watch the townspeople of Queensbane blow out their candles, so that the only light in the City of Lights was the glowing of fae-lights in every single tree. They shone like real faeries, showing the winter goddess Soyala where the city was so it would be spared from the worst of the winter chills.

‘’Finn,’’ the young King turned to Johan, who came out, clucking like a mother hen. He had one of their fur blankets in his hands, ‘’it’s freezing! If you’re going to stand out here, you need to be dressed properly,’’ he threw the blanket over Serafin’s shoulders and twirled him around till he was wrapped tight as the pastries baked in the kitchens. Serafin giggled but Johan wasn’t in the mood for laughter. He pressed his hand to Serafin’s now slightly more pronounced stomach, ‘’think of the baby.’’

‘’Why? It seems that you think about it enough for both of us,’’ Serafin laughed and put his hand over Johan’s reassuringly, ‘’honestly, I think it’s good if it experiences a little cold. What is the point of shielding it from anything that could hurt it when the world is so cruel?’’ the last made him smile sadly. It had been three months since Johan demanded the Treason law to be passed and still nothing happened. It seemed that with winter, came a stand still. There was no declaration of war from Moriya, no answer from the council and no end to Carena’s irritating persistence that Johan should divorce Serafin and marry his cousin.

‘’Come inside now,’’ Johan coaxed him, rubbing his arms through the fur and Serafin obliged. They padded into their bedroom and Johan closed the doors to the balcony securely, drawing the curtains. Serafin poked the fire in the fireplace and it blazed, warming the room. He happily slipped into their bed as Johan blew out the candles, ‘’do you need anything?’’

‘’Only you,’’ Serafin smiled at him in the dark, ‘’stop worrying and come sleep.’’ Johan obediently lay down next to his husband. With his stomach finally demanding to be noticed, Serafin had to sleep on his back, so Johan had taken to pillowing his head in the crook of his arm and putting one hand on his stomach, so he could feel their child under his fingertips as he slept. Often Serafin couldn’t sleep, so he’d stroke the stomach thoughtfully, or stroke Johan’s hand. He missed one thing that pregnancy had taken away from him – namely, Johan. Serafin was surprised at how much he craved Johan’s hands on him, his hot kisses down his body, his steady pace as he thrust into him… now there was none of that. Johan touched him as if he was porcelain, refusing anything but kisses in case it hurt the child. He even denied Serafin the right to pleasure his husband, arguing that it would only get Serafin in a state himself. He even believed the wet nurse tales about how the child, sensing their parent’s love-making, would come out pre-maturely, not wanting competition of a sibling.

But, most of the time, lying next to Johan and hearing him breathe evenly as he slept was enough for Serafin.

*~*~*

The bastard’s name was Nuria. A surprisingly common, normal name for someone as extravagant as Iomana. Mihai barely saw the girl, only glimpsing her brown hair and the face that reassembled Shay’s as she was carried around by Iomana. It was winter, and so cold, and so Iomana kept to the Harem’s warm walls but soon enough spring would come and with it the reminder that Shay had a child.

But, for the first time in forever, Mihai wasn’t worried about that.

He ran from the physician quarters towards the main palace, stopped and told himself running wasn’t good. He settled for a fast walk through the wintry air. He had long since given up greeting the guards, who never responded or even acted like they’d heard him. The walk to Shay’s office seemed impossibly long, even though Mihai had made it a hundred times. When he finally reached the doors, he hesitated. How should he say it? How could he ask for all those things? Steeling himself, he tucked his hand into the handle cut inwards and slid the doors open. Shay looked up from his paper work when he walked in, his almond shaped eyes tired.

‘’Mihai,’’ they spoke mostly Asakurian now, since Mihai mastered it faster than Shay could learn Kai.

‘’I need to tell you something,’’ Mihai’s stomach knotted with sudden worry. How would Shay react?

‘’I’m listening,’’ Shay assured, going back to scribbling something on parchment.

Mihai stepped forward and put his hand atop the Emperor’s, ceasing his movement. Shay stopped and looked up. Their eyes met and slowly Shay put the paintbrush in the ink bottle, standing carefully to walk to Mihai. Once they were opposite each other, Shay waited. But Mihai couldn’t say it, not just out of nowhere. He had been so excited but if he just blurted it…

‘’Whatever it is,’’ Shay’s voice was as gentle as the hand that stroked his cheek briefly, ‘’I will help you with it, no matter what.’’

Mihai took a deep breath, ‘’I’m with child.’’

His words came out much quieter and weaker than he expected, and he wondered if Shay wouldn’t believe him. He didn’t dare look up at his Emperor, who stayed rooted to the spot. Automatically, Mihai’s hand travelled nervously to his stomach, which did not show the child that was beginning to grow within yet, but Shay caught his hand before it reached it and did something Mihai had never seen him do.

He dropped to his knees in front of Mihai.

Shay pressed the hand he was holding to his lips reverently, almost like he was worshipping Mihai. An exultant, relieved laugh escaped Mihai’s lips, ‘’you’re happy…?’’ it came out as a question.

‘’Of course,’’ Shay breathed, kissing his hand over and over, ‘’I couldn’t be happier. This is…’’ he laughed himself, unbelieving.

But Mihai wasn’t done. Slowly, he got to his knees in front of his husband and cupped his face, meeting his eyes. His face was serious as he spoke, ‘’I want you to send Iomana away, with Nuria. You have so many Manses all over the country. Gift them one. I want the child to grow up happily, but away from here.’’ He took Shay’s hand and pressed it to his stomach, ‘’you don’t need her.’’

Shay nodded eagerly, ‘’anything you want.’’

‘’And I don’t want you to use your Harem anymore. Please. My lord.’’

‘’Yes. Of course,’’ Shay was still grinning like an idiot as he littered Mihai’s face with kisses, ‘’I don’t need it. All I need is you. I love you,’’ he whispered, and then repeated it in Kai, ‘’I love you.’’

*~*~*

‘’Would Dieu’s surname me Blackwood?’’

‘’Huh?’’

Merina had been spacing out when Aris asked the question. Winter had rolled around and the mountains outside had become unbearably cold. The inside was nice and toasty, however – Merina said it was because the base had a river of lava running through it, which warmed the mountain like a volcano. Aris had once heard Mido point out that they’d probably get blown up one of these days. Winter had rolled around, and the bandits were still not back. Oh, how Aris regretted not saying a proper goodbye to Bane; or even going to fight with them. It would have been better than lingering here, unable to leave and worried out of his mind. To fill the empty void, he and Merina took to sticking close. Now they were making lunch – something Merina had to teach him, considering that Aris had never done something as simple as chopping an onion.

‘’You know,’’ Aris felt the desperate need to fill the silence that seemed to echo through the mountain, ‘’because all pirates take ‘Blackwood’ as their family name. After the first pirate…the one that had the strength of an army, but their mortality as well? He raised an armada of ships from the seas, or something like that?’’

‘’Oh,’’ Merina flicked her chopping knife through the air when it came to her, ‘’what, Morten Blackwood? Yeah, I never believed that story, like I don’t believe that the first bandit Queen was a direct descendant from the gods. Nice story though,’’ she went back to chopping, ‘’but, no. Dieu’s surname is not Blackwood. He abandoned it when he left the pirates. You know that bandits pick their last names, right? Because we pick a new family, so the old one doesn’t matter. Many don’t have families. Many don’t have last names, either. So when Dieu came here, he started anew and took Mercier as his last name. And Wiss, who had been picking and discarding names like weapons, took on Blackwood.’’

Aris stopped and tilted his head, ‘’why? He’s not a pirate.’’

‘’No,’’ Merina shrugged casually, ‘’but despite everything, Dieu holds the pirates in his heart still. So Wiss decided that when Dieu was ready, he would marry him. And when he did, he would take ‘Blackwood’ back as his name. Because even if he is a bandit, he’s still got the ocean in his heart, like every Blackwood does,’’ she glanced up at him with a knowing smile, ‘’that’s what mates do; they sacrifice things for each other.’’

For once Aris didn’t argue with her, just went back to chopping carrots, changing the subject abruptly, ‘’so who was the first bandit Queen, the descendant from the gods?’’

‘’Her name was Queen Aliz, the first bandit,’’ Merina said. She was good at storytelling, even if she didn’t believe the things she said, ‘’and she was the daughter of Arihant, the god of warriors and bandits. Of course he hadn’t been the god of bandits at first, but his daughter was a warrior who ran to the mountains to build her own kingdom, so he kind of took them off as an afterthought. Her mother was Kailasa, goddess of mountains and nature, so her love for mountains was understandable. Either way, Aliz settled in the middle of the Moher Mountains and outcasts flocked to her like sheep to a Sheppard. Soon enough she had enough bandits to populate both mountains, but there was a more pressing matter at hand.’’

‘’Down in the cities, which were just barely towns then, a girl by the name Amene was terrorizing the town. The people of them didn’t like Aliz and her bandits, who were essentially thieves, but they didn’t like Amene more. So what did Aliz do? She captured this girl and married her, effectively making Amene Queen of the bandits and taking her off the backs of the villagers, who stopped disliking the bandits so much. They were never in love, never had children, but they grew to respect each other mutually. In the end she left Amene to rule the middle mountain while she populated the eastern one.’’

‘’Does Bane get his ideas from history?’’ Aris shook his head but the mention of Bane made his heart contract, so he quickly shot another question, ‘’so when did the bandits return to the eastern mountain?’’

‘’Queen Amene I, the wife of Aliz, eventually named her protégé, another girl whose name was Amene too, coincidentally. She was named Queen Amene II the damned because she tossed herself off the middle mountain the same year she became the leader, without naming a protégé. During the fights to establish a new leader, out of all the candidates a young Moriyan girl won. The girl’s names was Ashika but she changed it to Amene as well, so this one was Queen Amene III. She united both mountains under her rule, because Aliz’s mountain went a bit wild by then. Her protégé was King Bryden I the Diplomat, who populated all the mountains and gave his second and third in command rule over the eastern and western one. Two hundred years later or so one of the Kings, King Dario , was assassinated by the Western mountain lieutenant, Gawain, who ended the lieutenant practice. Either way, bandits are family, as you know, so the other mountains weren’t happy with Gawain taking the crown. They revolted and King Abhorson the Executor, the leader of the revolt, executed all those who fought for Gawain after taking the throne. After that the Western mountain ceased to be used.’’

‘’Anyway, after another hundred years or so Queen Farrah the Fair-haired begun losing battles to the bandits, and with it numbers. Eventually there weren’t enough bandits to populate the remaining two mountains, so the middle one was abandoned,’’ Merina gestured with her knife, ‘’and here we are.’’

Aris thought about it, ‘’from what I hear…not many Bandit Kings and Queens name their children their successors?’’

‘’Nah. You usually chose someone young who can rule for ages, but you don’t usually go for your child. You chose someone who looks strong or reliable or has proven themselves. There’s actually very few examples of children being picked as next leaders…um, let’s see…’’ Merina counted on her fingers, ‘’King Koa the Fearless, son of Queen Ayn, who finally won ground back from the pirates two generations after Farrah. Then there was Queen Tamar the God-loving, daughter of Queen Dane the Glorious, who killed herself. The next queen was her sister, another daughter of Queen Dane, Queen Gasha the Good. And that’s about it.’’

Aris stared at her, ‘’gods, you know more about history than I do.’’

‘’That’s because there’s nothing to do in the Winter, so I read books. I mean, we don’t go raiding cuz its cold, we don’t climb the mountains cuz its cold, we don’t go hunting cuz its cold…we actually don’t really leave the mountains cuz it’s so cold,’’ Merina tossed the cut vegetables into the pot slowly boiling over the fire, ‘’I’ll borrow you some.’’

‘’Ah, thanks, but I’m not much of a reader,’’ Aris said sheepishly, ‘’my tutor used to hate teaching me.’’

‘’I can imagine why,’’ Merina said with a good-natured grin. She paused, watching Aris finish his vegetables too, ‘’you turn nineteen today, don’t you?’’ she said out of nowhere.

Aris looked at her, half-surprised, half-suspicious, ‘’how did you know?’’

‘’Unlike Bane, I know the history of my country. I know the royal family, when they were born and all that shit,’’ she shrugged once more but she looked proud of herself.

Aris realised something, ‘’you…knew my name from the start, didn’t you?’’

‘’Ya.’’

‘’Why didn’t you tell Bane?’’

‘’Hey, it ain’t my job,’’ Merina put her hands in her air, ‘’if you want people to call you Silver, that’s not my problem.’’

Aris felt a sudden overwhelming gratitude for this girl. He opened his mouth to thank her when the doors to the kitchen burst open and one of the bandits that stayed behind ran in. His cheeks were bright red from the cold but he was grinning madly, ‘’they’re back!’’

In a flash Merina was gone from the kitchen, from the caves, probably bounding down to the forest to meet the party. But Aris didn’t move. Suddenly he found it hard to breathe. What is Bane wasn’t with them? And now, after so many weeks of subconsciously longing for him, he couldn’t face him. With every step feeling as if he was stepping on blades, Aris inched from the kitchen and along the corridors, to his room. He shut the door with a finality that shattered him. What was he waiting for? For Bane to come to him? He gripped the edge of his bed till his knuckles went white. The idea of facing Bane was unbearable but the idea of _not_ seeing him for even a second more was unbearable. Aris gasped for breath, trying to steady himself. This was not him. This was just his Omega yearning.

But his Omega was a part of him and as much as Aris tried to push that thought away, it kept coming back with the urge to see Bane. But he didn’t move. He feared that if he’d let go of the bed, he’d jump right out of the moonglass window and off the mountain into Bane’s arms. So he stood there, catching his breath, till his doors opened without him hearing a knock.

And there he was.

Just like that, after months of absence, Bane was standing in his doorway. He looked shocked. He’d changed, just a little. His lips were a little chapped from the cold, his knuckles bruised, his arms littered with new scars, his hair a little over grown. ‘’You came back…’’ Aris breathed, opening a dam, just as Bane whispered, ‘’you stayed.’’

Before Aris knew what he was doing he launched himself at Bane, grabbing him in a fierce hug. He only allowed himself a second, maybe two, of holding his mate as tightly as if he wanted to strangle all life from him. The hug was so quick that Bane didn’t even have time to hug him back, before Aris shoved him away and punched him in the stomach. Bane double over, more from surprise since Aris didn’t even use half his strength in the punch, ‘’you said a few weeks!’’ the angry yell ripped from him, mixed with all the worry he had been harbouring, all the irritation and all the panic. Aris hadn’t meant to yell, to show all he had felt when Bane was gone, but once those words were out the others followed, ‘’do you understand how worried I was!? You were gone most of autumn! I was going completely mad, I…I…’’ he trailed off weakly, his relief sapping his energy so much that he stumbled when Bane stood straight.

‘’Aris…’’ he whispered, his voice breaking.  

Aris backed up, suddenly scared that Bane would do something stupid, but of course Bane would never hurt him. He twisted his body so that when Aris backed up, his back bumped against the wall and then he just put his palms flat out on either side of Aris’ stomach, his forehead pressing into the wall above his head. They were inches apart but not touching, and Bane seemed to breathe in his presence without scaring Aris with his touches. Aris allowed his heart to calm to a permissible pace before he reached out uncertainly and touched Bane’s arm with his fingers. As he expected, the simple touch sent an electric spark coursing through him, and a steady feeling of being right where he was supposed to be built up in him. His fingers dug in harder into Bane’s forearm, wanting to make sure that Bane was really there, that this wasn’t one of those erotic dreams or worse yet, one of his nightmares.

The Omega exhaled shakily when Bane didn’t dissolve under his touch and drew his fingers up his muscular arm, his fingers probably hurting a small deal, especially as they drew over cuts barely scared, but Bane didn’t flinch. Aris risked one glance at his face above his own. His eyes were closed, as if all he was feeling at that moment was Aris’ hand on him. When Aris reached his shoulder, he dropped his hand and Bane’s whole form sagged, as if he was disappointed. Finally, very carefully, Bane tilted his head and pressed the softest of kisses to Aris’ cheek that sent live fire coursing through his veins, ‘’I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t here,’’ he whispered against his skin before pulling himself off the wall in one sudden, sharp movement, as if it was taking all his control not to do anything more. He was out of the doors too quickly, and Aris nearly called out for him to stop.

His hands dropped at his sides helplessly. He had never felt so confused. His whole body seemed to burn and suddenly he needed snow, and the cold, and the biting kiss of a winter’s night. By now he could find his way out to the different plates with closed eyes so getting out of the caves didn’t take him long. As soon as he stepped out and gulped down wintery air, he felt better. His breathing steadily calmed until his skin was finally cool and he shivered in the night. He heard footsteps behind him but he didn’t turn, praying it wasn’t Bane. Luckily, it was only Sylver.

Unluckily, he had Elenia with him.

‘’Sorry, kid. I actually kind of liked you,’’ he said in his deep voice, giving a laugh as he grabbed Aris’ arms from behind, locking him in place. Before he could yell or turn, Elenia’s curved blade cupped his throat. Her arm tensed, prepared to deliver the long strike that would end Aris’ life.


	21. The Fire in His Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYSS! WARNING - THIS IS WELL ANGSTY BUT HAS SOME LONG AWAITED SMUT ALTHOUGH IT IS QUITE POETIC AND NOT REALLY LIKE SUPER HOT OR ANYTHING, BUT I REALLY REALLY REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, it's quite late here so I really can't find the strength to reply to my lovely reviewers. Just one thing to StellaCruz - ya, Elenia is known as Mirtha to the bandits but since this was kind of Sylver's POV and he knows her as Elenia, then that's what he calls her. If it makes sense?? xD Either way, thanks for your review, love you sm <3 <3
> 
> And to everyone else - THANK YOU I got 10 reviews since my post yesterday, that is like...a life achievement. You guys are awesome, I love you all <3

‘’Now’s the time.’’

Sirhaan turned to Elenia, who was on one of the higher planes protruding out of the mountain. She was gravelly seriously, her scarred, tan face set in concentration. She had proven herself in the long fights with the pirates. She was good at that – she even made Sirhaan doubt her loyalty to Cana Kaale. But now, when everyone was feasting after the victory, she finally spoke the words. Aris, true to her calculation, had emerged alone, cooling off after whatever meeting he’d had with Bane. Elenia had assured that all they had to do was wait and an opportunity would arrive. It did, in the form of the prince, unguarded, alone, far away from anyone who could protect him. Elenia unsheathed her curved blade with her healthy hand and even the metal did not dare make a sound against the leather as it was drawn from its scabbard. Sirhaan followed suit, the clank of his sword swallowed by the howl of the wind. Elenia flexed the three fingers that remained in her left hand. Since Sirhaan had known her, she could wield a sword in both arms. Even with two less fingers, that did not change.

‘’After, we go to Asakura for the second youngest,’’ Sirhaan licked his lips, thinking of the money and respect that would await them back in Moriya, ‘’the King will soon enough come here to kill Bane, after he hears of his brother’s death, and he will likely bring the second prince with him. They will perish in the battle.’’

‘’And if they don’t, we will come back to finish the job,’’ Elenia jumped down onto the next plate, her golden plait swishing through the air. She landed silently, gracefully, making Sirhaan feel like a lumber of coal as he landed behind her. She had already moved on. They were directly above Aris now, who stood staring out into the night. Sirhaan held back a sigh that would give away his position. He had come to like Aris. He was more like a bandit than he believed. But gold trumped family. Always.

They finished the journey to Aris, jumping right in front of the cave mouth. They were silent as assassins tended to be, but Elenia didn’t conceal her footsteps. Aris straightened, hearing them, but didn’t turn. A curt nod from Elenia later, Sirhaan snuck up behind Aris and grabbed his arms, yanking them behind him to hold in his tight grip, ‘’sorry, kid.’’ He said,  ‘’I actually kind of liked you,’’ a short, bitter laugh ripped from his throat and Aris could so much as exhale, Elenia pressed the curve of the blade against Aris’ throat. Sirhaan waited for the final strike but it did not come from Elenia. From the corner of his assassin eye, Sirhaan saw the flash of a blade as it was brought down and he made a life or death decision – he released Aris and grabbed his blades.

*~*~*

The assassin, Mirtha, reacted to the clank of blades behind him, loosening her grip on the curved blade of the bandits that was pressed against his neck as Sylver’s strong arms released the hold on him. Using this advantage, Aris slipped away, the blade nicking his throat. Merina was fiercely battling Sylver; Mirtha lunged for Aris, the blade swishing in the air, a deadly curve of steel before it was pared by Aris’ dagger, which he didn’t even realise he had. It was the one Bane gave him, along with the twin blades. He knew he’d only last a few seconds. His blade was small and Mirtha could overpower him easily with her length of steel.

Like a blessing, a silver spinning blade shot through the air, slicing the back of Mirtha’s hand. The cold bit Aris’ cheeks as he danced away as another one of Merina’s circular blades flew through the air but, occupied with Sylver, her aim missed. Mirtha easily ducked away from it, scooping up the blade she had dropped and turning around sharply in time to meet Bane’s blade. Aris didn’t know when he got here. He hadn’t raised an alarm. Pushing away the notion that some kind of mate bond had alerted him of the danger, Aris met eyes with Merina, who held her ground against Sylver, who was three times her size, ‘’I knew there was something suspicious about her!’’ Merina roared, as if trying to yell ‘I told you!’ at Bane.

‘’Aris, get out of here!’’ Bane ordered, matching Mirtha’s blows with his own. There was liquid fury in his eyes, a cold, hard set to his features that frightened Aris. But the order made a waterfall of fire course through him, like every time he was put down and under-estimated because of his silver hair that marked him as an Omega. With a rage-filled roar, he dived at Mirtha, taking Bane’s place as he was thrown by the strength of her blow, half-way through the plate. He gathered himself up immediately, teeth bared in a growl. Aris thrust his dagger through the air, slicing a thin red line in Elenia’s throat. She stumbled back, clutching the wound, and Aris risked a glance at his mate and his second in command.

His blood ran cold when he saw Merina hanging off the edge of the plate. Sylver must have thrown her off because he was now fiercely fighting Bane, their blades flashes in the moonlight. Aris didn’t know what to do – go to Merina, help Bane? But Bane didn’t need help. Aris watched wide-eyed as with a single clean swipe Bane took Sylver’s head. As soon as the head hit the rocky ground, Bane kicked it away into the night, off the edge. Remembering his position, Aris whirled back to Mirtha only to receive a blow from her blade so hard he felt it up his arm. His dagger was thrown from his hand, where it skittered off the edge.

Everyone seemed to freeze, and hold their breaths. Now opponent-less, Bane was in the middle, torn between running to help Aris and running to help Merina. It was his second in command who broke the tie, ‘’GO!’’ her roar was fierce as a battle-cry. So Bane went. With a growl, Mirtha parried his blow as Aris was thrown to the ground. He scrambled up, limbs frozen with fear and the cold, and he ran for the ledge, leaving Bane to fight the assassin. He fell to the knees on the edge of the plate, of which he had wanted to jump from so many times, on which he sat during sleepless nights. He extended his hand to help pull Merina up to safety.

But she was not there.

Her fall had been so silent it was as if she had never existed at all.

*~*~*

The assassin disappeared, and that was what hurt Bane the most. That he’d let her get away.

Merina’s body was found broken and frozen in the forest below the mountain. It was probably worse than Aris was told, but no one wanted to talk about it. Aris didn’t get to see the body. He hoped, prayed for half the night that Merina had climbed down, somehow, until he heard the shriek. It was a scream of pure horror, anguish that cut deeper than any blade ever could, heart break so profound Aris felt his own heartbeat stutter, loss so hard that it shook him to the bone. May was screaming, so loud that the mountains screamed with her, and she threatened to wake the sleeping fire at its base. That was when Aris swore he would not look at the body that made the King of Bandit’s sister scream in such agony.

Bane came to him well past midnight, and as soon as the doors closed behind him the strong demeanour he had worn for his grieving family melted like snow. His eyes went glassy and he crumpled to the floor, sobbing. Aris felt his own tears gather in his eyes, ‘’Bane…’’ he whispered, voice broken. When Bane didn’t lift his head Aris ran to him, falling to his knees, grabbing his hand. He held it tightly to his chest with both of his own, ‘’I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I’m sorry…’’ he whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks like a waterfall, cascading off his chin. He hadn’t cried like that since he was a child. For the first time he realised how shielded he had been in the palace. He had never truly known loss.

His mate grabbed his arms and pulled them together. Aris didn’t fight him. He let himself be held tight and he took strength and comfort from Bane’s embrace. After a few moments he himself wrapped his arms around Bane’s neck, offering him his own strength, ‘’it wasn’t your fault,’’ Aris had never heard Bane sound so small, so scared, so weak, so broken, ‘’I should have saved her. I should have…’’

‘’You shouldn’t have been made to choose,’’ Aris managed between sobs, ‘’that was cruel. So cruel. I’m so sorry, Bane.’’

They held each other for what seemed like hours, with Aris shaking with sobs and Bane letting silent tears drip down his face. Aris composed himself first and instead of the fatigue that should have overcame him, in came the desperate feeling to take Bane’s mind off the death of his second in command. In the gentlest manner possible, Aris raised Bane’s face up and slid their lips together. Immediately Aris felt like everything would be alright. That no matter what, they would be fine. He hoped Bane felt it too as he kissed him harder. When he pulled back with a soft noise, Bane was looking at him with wide, glassy eyes. But the tears had stopped.

Aris stroked the last of them away, ‘’I’ll make you forget for a little while,’’ he promised in a quiet voice, ‘’I owe you that much,’’ he leaned forward again, sliding his lips neatly against Bane’s. The Bandit King finally responded, his lips moving shyly against Aris’. It was better than kissing stable boys, half-drunk girls at Queensbane festivals and the children of lords and Duchesses coming to visit. It felt right and, as promised, it made both of them forget everything.

When Bane realised Aris wasn’t running this time, he pulled him against him harder, letting Aris curl between his legs on the floor. Aris kept his hands on Bane’s face, feeling the harsh stubble under his fingers that wasn’t yet visible. He stroked his cheeks and neck, like his fingers could make him forget all his worries. Bane slid his tongue gently against Aris’ lower lip and Aris parted his lips, granting him access. Bane took it eagerly, wanting to get lost in the scent and feel of his mate. Only now did the full impact of how much Aris wanted Bane hit him. He tasted like the mountains, sharp and fresh and exciting. His calloused fingers slid up and down Aris’ waist, rolling up his tunic enough so that Bane could slide his fingers over his exposed flesh. Aris shivered.

Breaking the contact of their mouths, Bane helped Aris to his feet. He was staring at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes, like he couldn’t quite believe what was happening till Aris took his hand and led him to the bed. He lay down, pressing his hands into the bed, submitting himself. One questioning look towards Bane was all it took for the man to crawl over him. Bane held his face between his hands, almost in wander, before pressing a very careful, deliberate kiss to his forehead. Aris closed his eyes and allowed the sensation of having his mate so close envelop him. His lips skimmed the bridge of his nose, stopping to press a soft kiss to the tip of it. He moved lower, taking Aris’ pouty lips with his. He traces his mouth carefully against the line of Aris’ jaw, his sharp chin, defined cheekbones, then lower. He kissed a line down the column of his throat, down to his collarbones. He flicked his tongue against them, and Aris shivered again.

Tucking his fingers under Aris’ tunic, Bane drew it up, making sure his hands slid up Aris’ chest as he pulled it over his head. Once it cleared his silver hair, Aris pressed his mouth to Bane’s neck, kissing a hot line of kisses into it. He was growing steadily impatient, he realised, as his lips stopped at the junction between his shoulder and neck, where he had bit him so long ago. Aris ground a ferocious kiss into that place, till he was sure Bane felt at least a sliver of pain, before flicking his tongue against it apologetically. His hands found Bane’s back, holding him closer against him. His nails scratched lightly down his spine, eliciting a low grunt from Bane.

Without really meaning to, Bane ground his hips against Aris’, brushing their growing erections together through their pants. Aris gasped and threw his head back against the pillow, ‘’do that again…’’ he whispered and Bane happily obliged. His eyes were glazed over – with lust and desire, this time. He rolled his hips against Aris till he felt raw with need. Sitting back, he ripped the tunic from his body, and the trousers found it on the floor. Aris did not avert his eyes from Bane’s body like some sixteen year old virgin. He drank him in, his eyes half-closed, his breathing laboured. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers against the muscles of his stomach. Then Bane was leaning back down, his thumb hooked into Aris’ pants. He stripped him of that and then off his undergarment, too, until they weren’t the King of Bandits, who had just lost his second in command, and the kidnapped Prince of Kainan anymore, but just Aris and Bane, mates, making love for the first time.

The first finger was like a lightning bolt, entering him with a flash of searing pain followed by a boom of sudden pleasure that rolled through his body like thunder. Bane seemed to start a storm inside him, a cyclone that swept through his body in a wave of pleasure. The second finger entered like a gust of sudden wind, moving with the second one. Bane’s fingers were like a whirlwind, and Aris couldn’t concentrate on anything, but the subtle pain and pleasure delivered by his mate.

Before he knew it, Bane was entering him. It was like a rush of fire. Aris gasped, feeling incredibly hot suddenly. His body felt like it would either melt into the bed or rise up to the ceiling in smoke…or both. Basalt rushed through his veins, setting his skin ablaze, the inferno raging in his lungs making it hard to breathe. Bane’s hand stroked down his chest. It was charring and Aris was almost sure that by the end of the night he would have the outline of his fingertips burnt into his skin. The flames seemed to spill from Bane as he thrust him over and over, devouring his very being.

As Bane picked up the speed, Aris felt like he would explode. He had wanted to forget everything and he’d gotten his wish – at that moment he couldn’t remember his name, his lineage, where he was, what language he spoke…the only thing he knew was that the man above him was called Bane, and he was his mate. Aris’ mind grasped onto it, and before he knew it, he was moaning that name hopelessly, ‘’Bane…Bane, gods…’’

He flared and Bane’s flames jumped to meet his till they were a sea of searing flames, one hearth, forever joined. Aris cried out, never experiencing such pleasure before. He clung to Bane desperately, scared that the fire he had unleashed in him would burn him raw, till he was hollow inside. It was too much; he’d rushed with it too much and the feeling of finally being one with his mate could have driven him mad. But there was no taking it back now, and Aris was glad because once the first wave of searing, almost painful pleasure subsided, it was followed by bearable, blissful laps. Aris shivered over and over, pressing his head into Bane’s chest, closing his eyes against the heat that ceased to be a fire and became the warm rays of the summer sun that Aris missed so much.

When Aris fully came back to his senses, Bane was no longer atop him. He was cradling Aris against his chest, stroking his hair. Aris was sweaty and sticky, but Bane didn’t seem to mind. Now that the heat of their love making had subsided, the winter chill finally crept in. It wasn’t horrible, nothing warm furs couldn’t fix. Bane threw them over their bodies, twisted together on the small bed, and with Bane’s additional warmth the bed was warm as a summer’s hot spring.

Aris only realised that Bane was crying when the first of the tears hit his cheek. Aris didn’t look up, but wrapped his arms around him tighter. He wasn’t like that. He didn’t like affection but tonight Bane needed him, and Aris needed him, too, more than he liked to admit, ‘’I didn’t want our first time to be so rushed,’’ Bane whispered against his hair, ‘’forgive me. And thank you.’’

Aris didn’t reply, because he didn’t regret it. Bane didn’t speak again that night. They didn’t sleep, either. They lay together, the knowledge that they were finally one, and together, slowly settling in, not without some dread and worry about the future in Aris’ case. Bane cried all night, silently as a leader should. His tears ran down Aris’ cheeks as they dripped from his chin, mixing with his own. When the sun rose over the Mountains, Bane’s eyes finally dried.

He never cried for Merina again.


	22. The Twentieth Day of May

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Hope you enjoyed the last chapterr!! Thank you so much for all the comments <3 <3 
> 
> Alna_King - I love you girlll~ Thank you so much for appreciating all the female characters and being so supportive with every single chapter <3 
> 
> zef - omg, I'm so happy you liked the smut scene, I was rrly worried that it was too poetic, or even really out of place after Merina's death. Aw, I'll be your lil' George RR Martin any time boo ;) <3 
> 
> SeamoreRed - my day oneeee~ Again, I'm super happy you didn't find the long awaited smut scene dissapointing <3 Your comments have these poetic bits in them, I love it!! Hahah yeah, sleep? What is sleep? Thank you for always worrying about my health, love you <3 <3 
> 
> StellaCruz - sorry for making you cry b xD I'm glad you like angst, because you're gonna get PLENTY. Thank you for everything <3 <3 <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And everyone else, thank you for your support!!!! I'm having an awful time with my drama group, because I have two petty ass bitches, one dude whose more interested in youtube than the script, one dude who wants to just ditch us a week before exams because he's tired of those two petty ass bitches, and the only girl who gives me any support. If not for her, I would have been outta there. Either way, reading you comments for this story really just lifts my spirits, so thank you so much. It means more than you can imagine.

‘’It was your birth day yesterday,’’ Bane remarked calmly.

Aris was making food again. It was Merina’s turn right after him, but with her gone, he’d taken her duty. Bane was leaning against the table. He’d been there for about half an hour, not speaking, staring into the fire that roared in the stone fireplace and warmed the kitchens. His eyes were red rimmed, and he looked burned out, so Aris didn’t tell him to stop bothering him. Bane blamed himself – for allowing Elenia and Sylver in so easily, for not saving Merina…He hadn’t spoken about what had happened the night before, and didn’t demand Aris’ affection, for which the prince was grateful, ‘’yes.’’ Aris placed the knife quietly on the cutting board, ‘’but it’s not going to be, anymore.’’

Bane finally looked at him, perhaps for the first time during the day. Aris didn’t remember. He almost wished Bane would pester him about being a good mate, so it would be like before, ‘’what do you mean?’’

‘’It’s the day she died,’’ Aris’ voice broke, surprising both of them. Aris quickly cleared his throat, blinking back tears. How often had he done this since dawn? He’d lost count, ‘’e-either way, it’s not…appropriate anymore. Just…I’ll change it to late spring, or something like that,’’ kings and queens often did that – exchanged their birth days for coronation days…

‘’It’s the day you age,’’ the shadow of a smile seemed to pull at Bane’s mouth, but he was unable to smile fully, ‘’you shouldn’t be so off-hand about it.’’

Aris shrugged, ‘’I can’t bring myself to care about things like that,’’ he tossed the vegetables he’d been cutting into the pot that bubbled over the fire. The bandits were usually quite impatient – they couldn’t bear to spend hours over cooking, so they usually cut up ingredients, threw them in a pot and left it bubbling over the fire. When someone felt hungry enough to venture into the kitchen, they rang the bell and everyone gathered to eat. Sometimes the stew was undercooked, sometimes overcooked, but the bandits always ate with relish.

‘’The twentieth day of May,’’ Bane said finally, ‘’how about that? A new birth day…’’

Aris nodded. The doors to the kitchens opened and Aris wondered if someone was hungry already, but it was only May. This was probably the first time Aris saw her without an all-knowing, condescending smirk. She looked even worse than her brother – her eyes were red, the bags under her eyes prominent and purple. Her lips were dry and chapped, her skin pale, like she was sick, her long brown hair a tangle of knots. Her hands were covered in various little cuts, ‘’I’ve finished it,’’ her voice was so empty it scared Aris. His heart twisted with every thought of Merina, and the knowledge that she would never chop vegetables with him, yell at him to get a grip or play a late night game; he could only imagine what it was like for the others, who had spent most of their lives with her, ‘’want to see?’’

Aris didn’t know what the siblings were talking about, but Bane took his hand. Aris didn’t fight him off; his energy was low from lack of sleep and grief, ‘’come on,’’ Bane said quietly, even though he was already pulling Aris after Mayflower, who had disappeared behind the heavy wood doors fitted roughly over an opening in the cave. They exited, but instead of going right, Bane pulled him left, towards the baths and fighting pit. His hand was warm, and hard, against Aris’ and as Aris caught up with Bane’s long strides, the Bandit King shifted his hand, so that he could lace their fingers together.

Behind the kitchen the neat corridors fanned out into a large cavern, with doors built into openings. Stalagmites hung down, pointed and deadly and ancient, and the walls were rough and untouched. The largest doors in the middle led to the baths the bandits had built by digging holes into the moist ground. It took ages to fill them with water. The second largest doors led to the fighting pit, where Bane had won the right to Aris’ name. But the third doors were quite small, and Aris hadn’t spotted them before, hidden in the shadows. That was where May led them.

Inside the low cavern were Runestones, the kind you could still stumble upon in some places, sold at some markets, the kind worshipped by the first wolf people in honour of the gods. Except there were…different. There were faces carved in them, and there were thousands, if not millions, in the cave, stretching as far as Aris’ eyes could see. Some were huge, touching the ceiling, other small enough that Aris could pick them up – he did not dare to, though. Each was carved with precision and care, each stone hinting at a different hand.

Silent, May led them to the corner, which stood empty, and Aris realised why her hands were all cut up – and also where he was. In a tomb. In a collective tomb, where all the bandits were remembered. Each Runestone represented a bandit – and May had been carving Merina’s all night. It was as tall as Merina had been, which was short, and her face had been carved into the top part of it. While most of the Runestone faces were carved with eyes closed or downcast respectfully, Merina’s eyes were wide open, and Aris could almost see the fire that had burned in them when she had lived. May’s work was rough, strong, like Merina had been, unpolished and wild. Below her face were the symbols of the gods May wanted to protect Merina’s soul – Gordain’s phoenix, the protector of Heroes; the two three-peaked mountains of the goddess of mountains, Kailasa; the circle and cross of Arihant, the father of the first bandit Queens; the warrior heart of Malaya, goddess of freedom. And, below, the winged wolf that represented Altessa, the Reaper of Souls, and the twin owls of Septhis, the god of Death.

Aris glanced at Bane, who was staring at the Runestone with intensity, like it was Merina and he could offer up the last apology. May herself was staring at it with eyes that shone of tears. Silently, Aris withdrew his hand from Bane’s. There would be a time when he would come here, to apologise, to thank Merina, but now was the time to allow May and Bane to grieve.

After Bane and May had finished, and someone rang the bell for food, they ate in silence. After that, Bane silently got up and stopped where Dieu was sitting next to Wiss. Silently, he’d extended his arm to him and Dieu had stood and clasped it with a serious understanding in his eyes. And that was how Bane chose his new second in command.

*~*~*

Ilia was surprised, and thoroughly spooked, when he woke up on the morning of the Day of the Dead and stepped outside to find his guards wearing masks. They were full-face ones, of simple clay, nothing like ones one would wear for a masquerade, some looking worse for wear. Too frightened by their ghastly appearance, Ilia hurried to the dining room for breakfast only to find that the royal family was also donned out in simple, white masks. The Queen Mother’s covered her entire face, leaving cut-out holes for her eyes, and none for her mouth. The sight of her sent an unpleasant shiver up Ilia’s spine. Kaen’s mask only covered his eyes, as did Johan’s. Serafin wore no mask and looked as creeped out as Ilia felt, ‘’was there a masquerade I was not invited to?’’ Ilia asked, approaching the table. He bowed shortly to his brother in law, the king, and took his place at the table by Kaen’s side.

‘’Ah, apparently it’s a Kai Day of the Dead custom,’’ Serafin rushed to explain, ‘’everyone wears masks so that when the dead sweep through the earth tonight, they can’t tell who is who, so ghosts seeking revenge will not pull them down to hell. Of course, it is only a tradition,’’ he added, and Ilia shrugged. He wasn’t surprised the royal family was superstitious; they probably had gathered more vengeful spirits than any Dynasty before them. Still, it was eerie to dine with masked royals, so Ilia ate little, and quickly, excusing himself as soon as he was finished.

‘’I’m finished, too,’’ Kaen said quickly, getting up a second after Ilia left the room and following him out of the doors. He caught up with him in the corridor. He caught his wrist, ‘’hey, wait,’’ when Ilia turned to him, eyebrow raised in question, Kaen dropped his voice, ‘’will you come tonight?’’

‘’No. In Moriya, we spend all night praying for the dead, so that is what I will be doing,’’ he freed his hand from Kaen’s grip gently, ‘’and you don’t have to keep asking, like we’re supposed to be secretive with it. If you want it, just do it.’’

‘’As you wish,’’ Kaen said with a smirk and Ilia found himself being twisted around, and pressed against the wall, his wrists pinned above his head.

He flushed, ‘’h-here? Are you mad!?’’

‘’Can’t help it,’’ Kaen’s voice was rough and quiet, his eyes invisible behind the mask, ‘’I want you now,’’ he kissed him, his chest pressing against Ilia’s, pinning his whole body to the wall. Ilia twisted his head to the side to break the kiss, trying futilely to free his wrists.

‘’Enough, someone will see…’’

‘’I thought you said we didn’t need to be secretive,’’ Kaen released one of his wrists in favour of grabbing his chin to kiss him again. Ilia half-heartedly pushed his hand against his chest.

‘’Come on, this isn’t appropriate…’’ his breath hitched when Kaen attacked his neck with hot kisses. A moment later, he heard voices coming down the corridor – the voices of Duchess Carena, who treated him like an exotic exhibit each time she stumbled into him, and her daughter, Rozhin. Heart fluttering in panic, Ilia grabbed Kaen’s wrist with his freed hand and pulled him in through the first doors he found. It was a storage room, with so many chests and old armour and dusty book cases that there was barely enough room to move. Ilia shut the doors, heart pounding, and listened intently as Carena walked past.

But Kaen didn’t seem to care about his aunt. His arms slipped around Ilia’s waist from behind and begun to undo his belt. Ilia groaned, ‘’stop it, Kaen…’’ at the sound of his name, which Ilia said in his Moriyan accent, Kaen begun kissing his neck again, ‘’seriously…ah!’’ Ilia cut off when Kaen hand slid expertly into his under garments and found him. He arched forwards, trying to get away from his touch but he only succeeded in pushing himself further into Kaen’s hand. He hissed in a harsh breath when Kaen began pumping his hand up and down in a steady rhythm, bringing Ilia back up against his chest. Ilia moaned his name quietly, unable to help it.

‘’Sorry,’’ Kaen’s words were rough, unfocused, against Ilia’s ear, ‘’I got carried away. Want me to stop?’’

‘’No. Gods, of course not,’’ Ilia managed a shaky laugh, that was cut off when Kaen ran his thumb over the head of his member. He writhed in his grip but Kaen kept him in place, ‘’Kaen, I can’t…’’ he whined, and came. Kaen stroked him through it, kissing the back of his neck and his shoulders, the cool material of his mask brushing the bare skin there. When he was done, he wiped his hand with a cloth he found amongst the abandoned things. When he turned, Ilia kissed him. Kaen happily kissed him back.


	23. The Treason Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This ones a good one, I tell you!!!   
> Thank you for all your support guys, especially my sisters-in-fanfiction; Alna_King, zef, SeamoreRed & StellaCruz <3

‘’And thus word, thought or feeling against the Monarch, or his Consort, will be considered treason and punishable by law from this day forth.’’ Rehan read out, his voice booming over the audience chamber, where Johan presided on his throne. He was fighting to keep a triumphant smile off his face. The entire court was gathered in the large chamber, and they clapped politely, while exchanging worried glances. How many of them had called Serafin mad? How many of them would have accused their child of being mad, too? Now that threat to the throne had been removed. Rehan rolled up the scroll and Johan dismissed the court to their daily activities. Finally, after weeks, the council had voted for the law, and the copies would be posted all over Kainan for the commoners to see, too.

Duchess Carena lingered by the doorway, and though her mouth was settled into a pleasant smile, and her curtsy was low, her eyes were so full of hatred the devil would have opened his arms to her gladly, ‘’majesty,’’ as always, she addressed only him, not the family and councillors gathered around him, and definitely not Serafin, standing by his side, ‘’by your leave, I will return to Yarah tomorrow. I have been away quite long enough.’’ Her voice was ice.

‘’I agree,’’ Johan said with false politeness, for he knew she’d sense his eagerness for her to leave either way. She didn’t want to go without achieving her goal, but with the Treason Law passed, the next time she spoke of annulling his marriage to Serafin she could be executed, or at least her lands could be confiscated for the crown. Johan could not wait to have her gone. Winter was coming to a rapid close, having been short and mercifully mild this year. Already, the thin layers of snow had melted, and the first flowers begun sprouting, ready for the Winter Solstice ball marking the end of Winter.

‘’I would be most grateful if you took in my daughter to grow up at court,’’ she added and Johan’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Rozhin was a sweet, simple girl but she was always seeking her mother’s approval. If he was told to do something that could put the Yarah Duchy closer to the throne…but Rozhin was simple, that much was true, and so hard to control from afar. They’d have to sieve through letters coming into the palace, and in some time Carena’s grip on Rozhin would loosen. Johan nodded, ‘’I will gladly welcome my cousin as a member of the court.’’ _But not you_.

Duchess Carena dipped her head, ‘’very well. I thank you.’’ She didn’t sound thankful as she left the room without so much as a goodbye. Suddenly Johan found the presence of his council and family pressing and suffocating, ‘’leave us now,’’ he said and everyone dispersed in minutes, off to attend to their duties. Everyone except Serafin, as Johan had expected. He waited till the doors closed before taking his hand and drawing him into his lap. His stomach was much more prominent now, as he was due to give birth in a few months. His face had filled in, too.

Johan stroked his stomach through the specially made, overly large tunic, ‘’why don’t I feel triumphant anymore?’’ he whispered against his shoulder.

Serafin sighed, turning to kiss his cheek, ‘’I don’t know, my love, but I don’t feel that, either. I’m relieved that our child will never be called mad but…’’ he rested his nose against his neck, ‘’sometimes I wish you weren’t a king.’’

‘’Me, too,’’ Johan smiled, ‘’but then I would not have married you. So I’m glad I’m one. Don’t worry, I’ll get better at this. I just need some time.’’

‘’What if we don’t have time?’’ Serafin asked quietly and Johan stiffened.

‘’What are you talking about? Did you god-‘’

‘’No,’’ Serafin said quickly, ‘’it’s just because of all these assassination attempts. They wear me out. First Mihai, then me, then you, and now even Aris? Is Elentina next? I don’t think I can live with this constant worry.’’

Johan tilted his head and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, ‘’then don’t worry. I promise you, I’ll fix all of this.’’

*~*~*

The Feast of Gordain, celebrated around the kingdoms, preceded the Winter Solstice ball and it was strictly for soldiers, knights and warriors. The pregnant and children were not allowed to attend, as they were considered ‘vulnerable’, the opposite of what the great Gordain had been. Serafin was secretly glad he did not have to attend the celebrations of the First God, in memory of fallen kin, as he was tired and his stomach was becoming an increasing burden. The child kicked, often and mostly through the night, and Serafin could never find a good position to sleep in. He’d requested to sleep away from Johan because he tossed and turned so much, but Johan had not allowed him to leave his side, and instead stroked his stomach when the baby kicked. It seemed to calm it enough for Serafin to get a few hours of precious sleep.

The Feast was not celebrated in the palace. For this night, the brothels and taverns had been vacated especially for the King’s soldiers, warriors and knights. The beer and food was free, and the celebration would roll well into the morning. Johan, dressed in armour he had not worn for so long, drank and feasted with Kay, the Captain of the Guard, and Kaen. He’d usually gone with Aris and Elentina, who had been head archer and Artemis’ best student, as well, but this year…they weren’t here. Ilia was there in their place, nestled between Kaen and a random soldier. While everyone yelled loud stories of battle and toasted various things – the gods, the king, cheap courtesans, good wine and the King’s future child – Ilia grew increasingly quiet with each mug of wine, while everyone else grew rowdier.

‘’To my new apprentice,’’ Kay roared, lifting his chalice.

‘’What? You have a new apprentice!?’’ his soldiers yelled.

‘’Yes! I told you!’’ Kay bellowed.

‘’You didn’t!’’ they bellowed back, as one, and the Hyndestane brothers cracked up.

‘’Well, I will be having a new apprentice, to train to be the new Captain of the Guard!’’ the Captain’s words were slurred.

‘’You didn’t tell us!’’ the soldiers yelled together again, voices whining.

‘’Fools, I’m telling you now!’’ Kay laughed, ‘’to Caomhán, may his journey to the palace be safe.’’

‘’To Caomhán!’’ the others chorused, chugging their drinks.

Just then, Ilia fell heavily against Kaen’s side and the prince glanced down at him, surprised. He was passed out, red in the face. He laughed. Who knew that Ilia, arrogant and proud, could not hold his drink?

‘’Gentlemen, I must unfortunately depart,’’ Kaen was much less sober than he’d like to think as he picked Ilia up. Thankfully he was light enough that Kaen didn’t stumble, ‘’duty calls.’’

He was led to the doors by a symphony of disappointed noises, whistles and cat calls. Even on the rickety wooden stairs leading up to the rooms of the tavern he could hear their celebrations, and that of so many others, scattered all over Queensbane, and further into the towns within it. He could hear drunken singing and the clink of chalices all the way from the small towns of Golgata, Marseline and Salaam, the Moriyan Quarters, or so it seemed. Since the rooms had also been vacated for the soldiers, Kaen pushed open a random door on the second floor that led him to a small, plain room with a tiny bed and no other furniture. He closed the doors behind him, struggling to lock it with Ilia in his arms before making his way over to the bed. When he lay Ilia gently down, he saw that he was once again awake. His eyes were half-lidded and glazed over, his breath laboured, as he reached for Kaen.

The prince kissed Ilia deeply, their tongues mingling, the sound of celebration mingling with the soft noises of their mouths, ‘’don’t do anything,’’ Ilia requested. He was out of it, drunk and tired, but he didn’t release Kaen’s shirt, on which he had a hard grip, ‘’I just…wanna kiss you for a while…’’ he slurred adorably. Kaen obliged. Soon he found himself above Ilia, stroking his cheek as they kissed, and then on his side, squeezed next to him, caging Ilia in between the wall and his body. Their kisses grew lazy, slow and eventually Ilia dozed off. Kaen pecked his lips a few more times before sliding out of bed. Clumsily he started a fire in the small fireplace with wine-controlled hands and then crawled back into the bed, shifting Ilia so he’d be more comfortable, throwing the small blanket over him and wrapping him securely in his arms. Ilia was still used to the Moriyan heat and he grew cold at night. With no intention to go back down to join the celebration, Kaen fell asleep.

*~*~*

It seemed that the palace had only just gathered their wits after the Feast of Gordain when the preparations for the Winter Solstice ball begun. Candles were shipped from all over the country for the palace and set on every surface that would not be taken up by food. The ballroom was decorated with silver and blue garlands, the colours of winter. The royals who were not overseeing preparations were venturing into Queensbane, issuing the best artisans and mask-makers to produce the most beautiful masks for the masquerade. Ilia and Serafin, still learning the Kai customs, went together, spending hours choosing masks – or, more like, Ilia could not find one he liked, while Serafin assured him all looked beautiful on him. He himself had settled for the first one Ilia had picked out for him, a white, simple thing that covered only the eyes and part of the nose, decorated with glittering see-through crystals – ideal for Serafin.

Despite the still-present winter chill, the palace became stuffy and crowded as royals once more poured in for the celebrations. The last day of winter was approaching fast and it seemed like nothing was ready. As custom had it, the masks took away all status – commoners could mingle with royals and vice versa, with no titles and obligations. Except this year Johan closed the doors to the palace to the people of Queensbane. No one could blame him, after the recent assassination attempts. He’d taken great care, however, to send large amounts of food to Queensbane to be given to the people during the celebrations.

On the morning of the Winter Solstice Serafin woke up from what seemed like the first full-night of sleep he’d gotten because something was tickling his nose. He opened his eyes groggily. The icy winter sunlight was falling in through the windows and a bright yellow flower was hanging in front of his face. Confused, Serafin sat up and saw Johan, grinning and full dressed, sitting on the bed, holding the flower out to him. The last of the year’s snow was in his hair, ‘’what’s this?’’ Serafin asked, confused, taking the flower. It was nice to see something alive after winter had killed the flowers, leaving the trees barren and ugly.

‘’The first of the spring’s flowers,’’ Johan said, pleased with himself.

Serafin raised an eyebrow, ‘’another custom?’’

Johan nodded, ‘’if you have someone you love, you find them a flower on the day of the Winter Solstice. It’s a declaration of love and if they take it,’’ Johan smiled fondly, ‘’then it means they love you back.’’

Serafin smiled, embarrassed and giddy, ‘’you know I love you back,’’ he tucked his nose gently against the petals and inhaled the scent of spring, ‘’thank you.’’

*~*~*

Somehow, amongst the throng of people, Ilia found Kaen incredibly easily. He looked more handsome than ever, his long-ish dark blond hair slicked back off his forehead, a jade mask on his face. It only covered the eyes, and left side had a thin sliver, like a crescent, cupping his cheek. He wore a high-collared, long sleeved black tunic with jade buttons and seemed to be waiting for someone. Ilia hoped it was him as he approached, ‘’you look handsome. Maybe because half your face is hidden,’’ he said lightly as Kaen turned.

Whatever comeback Kaen thought off froze on his lips when he saw Ilia. He’d loosened his curls so they wouldn’t be in such a untameable mess, and they now hung a little past his ears in lose waves, the ones that would have fallen into his eyes pulled from his forehead and tied at the back of his head. The silver half-mask on his face offset his darker skin, as did the silver tunic that exposed his shoulders. Kaen swallowed visibly, ‘’you’re going to get cold,’’ he murmured, brushing a thumb against the exposed sliver of skin. He stared at Ilia and the young prince wished he could see his eyes.

‘’What are you thinking about?’’ he asked finally.

‘’How much I want to kiss you,’’ Kaen’s voice was light. Ilia turned his head left and right, but everyone was concentrated on each other, so he stood on his tip toes and brushed his lips against Kaen’s. Kaen grinned at him, extending a hand as the band struck up a tune, ‘’may I have this dance?’’

Ilia’s smile softened, ‘’yes,’’ he put his hand in Kaen’s.

They entered the throng of people ready to dance. This dance Ilia knew – he’d been taught by Jhoka in her short time as his governess. Kaen put his hand up in the air between them and Ilia’s palm hovered an inch away, not fully touching it. They twirled around each other. At this angle, the light from the million of candles illuminated Kaen’s mask just so, so Ilia could glimpse his eyes through the mask openings. They locked eyes. Once they completed a full circle around each other they finally touched. Kaen’s hands grasped Ilia’s hips firmly and he went down with the other leading dancers, onto one knee, as Ilia leaned into him, Kaen supporting his weight. Their faces were so close they could have kissed again but they were up again with the other dancers, and Ilia’s breath caught when Kaen lifted him and twirled him around. When he set Ilia down, he reached for his face, and Ilia mirrored his movements. They brushed their hands slowly down the outline of each other’s faces and shoulders, without touching. When Ilia was pulled back up into the air and twirled multiple times, he couldn’t help a laugh escaping his lips. Finally, Kaen easily pressed his hand to the back of Ilia’s neck, the other arm encircling his waist again as Kaen tipped him backwards, hovering him a few inches above ground as the music ended. He held him there for a few seconds before, uncaring of the people watching, he closed the gap to steal a kiss.

When the couples broke away and clapped for the band, Kaen took Ilia’s hand and pulled him into a dark, secluded corner. He dug in his pocket, ‘’um…it’s a bit crumpled, because…w-well, I just wanted you to have it…’’ he produced a half-dead little yellow flower from his pocket. It wasn’t hard to realise that he’d picked it in the morning and was too embarrassed to give it to Ilia before.

Ilia smirked, ‘’I’m not ignorant of this, you know? I understand what this custom means.’’

Kaen flushed under his mask, ‘’o-oh, I just…’’ he begun to withdraw his hand but Ilia plucked the flower from his hand and tucked it into the breast pocket of his silver tunic. Even Kaen’s ears turned bright red.

Ilia reached out a hand for him, ‘’come here,’’ Kaen leaned down and kissed Ilia back as the Moriyan prince slid their lips together. They kissed for a good while, until they deemed it appropriate to return to the guests. Yeshel, dressed in blue silk Ilia had gifted her, with a half-face mask that ran down, so one eye, half a nose and half a mouth was exposed, danced with him and later he danced with Johan as Kaen danced with Serafin – the last pair went slow, as Serafin was quite pregnant now. Then Ilia danced with some random lord who requested it, but all he really wanted was to dance with Kaen again. He scanned the dancers until he found him. He was dancing with another man, about his build, also dressed in black, with shining black hair and a black mask. He seemed strangely familiar but Ilia lost sight of him as he was twirled. When he was returned to a stable position, he scanned the crowd frantically. What attracted his attention was a flash of silver as a blade was drawn.

A few things happened at once.

Ilia shoved his dancing partner away and screamed ‘no!’ so loud that the band stopped.

At the exactly same time, Serafin whipped around on the other end of the ballroom, as if sensing the danger.

And then Yeshel charged straight at Cyr, and knocked the blade right out of his hand with his own before it could embed itself in Kaen’s chest.

‘’GUARDS!’’ Magnon roared. Somewhere in the room, Rozhin fainted.

Cyr tried to strike Kaen again but Yeshel was in front of him, and she knocked the blade aside. Clutching it in his hand, Cyr made a split second decision; he ran for the doors. Before he could reach them, guards spilled in from every entrance. Some took position by the walls, so Cyr could not escape through the windows. So he made another critical decision. He turned away from the guards, whose swords were drawn, and briskly walked in the direction of Ilia. The people parted, some screaming. Guards rushed to save Ilia but before they could make it…

Cyr dropped to one knee, bowed his head and extended the blade upwards towards Ilia, ‘’my prince.’’

Ilia’s blood ran cold, ‘’Cyr, no…’’ his voice was merely a breath.

‘’Seize them both!’’ this came from Johan and it cut like Cyr’s dagger. The guard grabbed Cyr harshly by the shoulders and when he raised his head, he was smirking at Ilia with all of a snake’s venom. Ilia felt two more guards grab his arms and twist them behind his back painfully, but he did not cry out. Instead, he found Kaen standing where he had been. He’d lost his mask and was staring at Ilia with wide, disbelieving eyes.

‘’I didn’t do it!’’ Ilia’s voice echoed through the silent ballroom but it was only meant for Kaen’s ears. His voice broke, ‘’you promised you’d trust me this time.’’

And with those words Kaen ran up to him and shoved one of the guard away harshly, ‘’let him go. That’s an order!’’ he said icily, pulling Ilia away from their grip and against him, as if he could hide him from all of them. The guards didn’t know what to do. Cyr was dragged away and the room stared at Ilia, silent. For once Ilia didn’t want to keep his dignity – he wanted to hide in Kaen’s chest and let the prince deal with this mess. He wanted to be an Omega, so that he wouldn’t be expected to stand up for himself.

‘’Kaen, let go of him,’’ Johan stormed up to him, ‘’he could be a traitor! Did you not see-‘’

‘’No, Johan. You’re not taking him,’’ Kaen held Ilia tighter.

‘’You could have died, maybe from his order!’’ Johan hissed, quiet enough for only him to hear, ‘’it may not be him, but for now we need to lock him away, and figure this all out.’’

‘’You are not putting him in the dungeon.’’

‘’Are you an idiot!?’’ Johan finally lost his temper. Wasn’t this exactly what he promised Serafin he wouldn’t do? ‘’he could have been manipulating-‘’

‘’If it was Serafin, you would never put him there!’’ Kaen exploded and Serafin flinched as if he’d been slapped.

‘’Serafin would never do something like this!’’ Johan roared.

‘’And neither would Ilia!’’ Kaen matched his anger with his, ‘’question the assassin, but you’re not putting him in the dungeon. You. Are. Not.’’

Johan gritted his teeth, their eyes locked in silent battle. Finally, he relented, ‘’fine. The tower, then.’’

Kaen stared at him and then leaned down to whisper to Ilia, ‘’just for one night. I’ll sort this mess out, and you’ll be free in the morning, I promise.’’

‘’Guards, escort him,’’ Johan’s voice sounded hollow.

Kaen unhooked Ilia’s mask, letting it fall to the floor, cupping his face with a sudden desperation, trying to get the last words in, ‘’I love you,’’ he whispered, ‘’I love you, and I won’t let them hurt you.’’

‘’I love you, too,’’ Ilia sounded like he would cry, but when he slipped from Kaen’s grip and turned to the guards, his voice did not stutter; a last spurt of strength, ‘’I will escort myself,’’ he said and stormed out of the ballroom, the guards hot on his heels, towards the tower that always seemed to be his prison.


	24. The Ultimate Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Wow, I got a lot of support for the last chapter - or, more like, pleads not to kill Ilia *awkwardly glances away* ummm enjoy the chapter???? Na, but seriously, you guys are awesome, I had so many new commenters! Hi, welcome!!! And, as always, massive thank you to my day-ones, SeamoreRed, StellaCruz, Alna_King and zef, the newbie ;) <3 ENJOYYYYY

Ilia was surprised at how scared he was. He was good at pretending he was an all knowing, mature royal but in the end he was just a child, barely reaching adulthood. He was scared of dying. None of it seemed worth it now. His brother would mourn him, of course. Despite everything they were still family, but he’d move on, figure out other plans to grasp more power. And what would Kaen do? Would he re-marry? An Omega, this time, no doubt. Would he even remember him? Maybe he already hated him, maybe he wouldn’t even come say goodbye. And what would they do to Yeshel without his protection? She was even younger than him…he would have to give her money to escape back to Moriya, just in case… he shook his head. He wasn’t going to die. Ilia had promised that by morning he would be free, but why did he feel so uncertain? Maybe because their whole relationship was a lie, and Kaen allowed himself to fall in love with him because he didn’t know what he’d done. From the tower, which was dark and lonely without Yeshel for company, he saw the guests depart in haste. He briefly wondered what would happen with Cyr. He’d known him since they were children. Even when he joined the Assassins guild, they still played together, until their paths could no longer intertwine. How could he have done that to Ilia?

The doors to the dark tower opened and Johan strode in, his face a mask of stone. Ilia didn’t get up from his windowsill. For the first time since arriving in Kainan, he was scared of Johan. He wasn’t the kind, oblivious brother in law anymore. He was a King, through and through, and Ilia worried about what the years of hardships would do to his kind soul. The guards, who had followed Johan, closed the doors to the room, but Ilia could sense them right outside. Probably listening, but it didn’t matter. Soon enough everyone would know what Ilia was guilty of.

Johan stopped a good distance away from Ilia, a sliver of moonlight illuminating his face. He didn’t sit, ‘’I want the truth. Only the truth, and all of it, before I make my judgement.’’

Ilia swallowed thickly, ‘’can I see Kaen?’’

‘’Once you tell me.’’

Ilia’s eyes dropped to his hands, his brown fingers that looked ashy in the moonlight, and he clenched them hard. He had to be brave. He had to confess. If he was to die, he had to make peace with the gods, ‘’my brother wanted to put me on the throne so he could rule Kainan,’’ he let the words ring out between them, but he didn’t think Johan was surprised, ‘’no matter what you offered, he would never accept a peace treaty.’’

After a moment of silence, Johan spoke. His voice was neutral, ‘’you had a plan.’’ A statement.

‘’Yes.’’

‘’Tell me about it.’’

Ilia took a deep breath, ‘’when discussing the marriage, Izyan assured I was an Omega. He wanted to purposely anger you. He thinks Kai people are rash idiots, incapable of patience and wise thinking. He thought you would start a war immediately. I believed that, too.’’ So far he had managed to keep his voice even, strong, but now it begun shaking, ‘’I knew he hired assassins from Cana Kaale. I knew Cyr personally. I knew…that you and Serafin were the first target. You were meant to be killed before you managed to produce an heir to the throne, but the first assassin failed. Aris and Mihai were targets, too, but we could not have predicted that Aris would be taken by the bandits. And I didn’t know where Izyan put assassins. I had one job; to get rid of Kaen once you and Serafin were gone. Cyr was under my orders. Once you were dead, Kaen would be the next logical option for the throne, as the second son. When I was crowned his consort, Cyr would assassinate him. The only living Hyndestane would have been Elentina, who, by that time, should have lost power in Sahr because Sava would have died, and she would have been labelled a widow and sent to a temple. There would have been other options – your mother, Rozhin or even the Duchess of Yarah, but Izyan would have signed the Peace Treaty with me on the throne, and the people would have rejoiced, and kept me on it. So…I would have been King of Kainan, and Izyan would have his power…’’ tears gathered in Ilia’s eyes because he knew how bad it sounded. He was slowly losing hope.

‘’But the plan never went through,’’ Ilia quickly wiped the tears away, ‘’I…fell in love with Kaen, and I called Cyr off. In a spurt of anger, he must have come up with this plan to incriminate me. Which isn’t wrong. I did betray all of you, and…’’ he wanted to keep the tears at bay. He didn’t want Johan to think that he was trying to gain forgiveness through pity, but they wouldn’t stop coming, and his shaking wouldn’t stop, ‘’you were kind to me.’’

‘’A well thought plan,’’ Johan’s voice was strained, ‘’you knew that Serafin was in danger, and yet you said nothing. You wanted to kill my family for, what? The acknowledgement of yours?’’

‘’I’m sorry, Johan,’’ he whispered, ‘’I didn’t know any of you. I’d been brought up to believe none of you could ever love me. That isn’t an excuse, I just…the fact that I knew you, and Serafin, and your brothers were in danger and said nothing is unforgivable. And back then…gods, I didn’t care,’’ he looked at Johan, ‘’but you just need to know that I wouldn’t have hurt Kaen. I want you to know. I want him to know. That once I got over my pride, I would have rather Cyr kill me than him.’’

Johan studied his face for a long while, but his own did not change. Finally, he turned, ‘’I have heard enough,’’ he made for the door.

Sudden panic grasped Ilia’s heart and he jumped down from the window seat, ‘’let me see Kaen!’’ he pleaded.

‘’He will come in the morning,’’ Johan said before slamming the doors in his face.

But Kaen did not come in the morning. Ilia sat up all night, sleep not even tempting him. He stared out of the window, at the tiny pinpricks of fire in the courtyard. He hoped to glimpse Kaen but he was nowhere to be seen. It rained, at one point, and Ilia started crying again. More than scared, he was heart sick. He wanted Kaen to hold him, more than he had ever wanted anything else. But Kaen did not come.

Instead, in the morning, the doors opened and two guards marched in. They were not guards Ilia recognised. Their armour was polished and much of their faces was covered by helmets, ‘’come with us.’’

Ilia let them lead him out of the tower, and he tried to calm his wildly beating heart. He went over words in his head – he’d have to go to court, and tell it all again, and he would, but if Kaen was there… and yet he was led away from the cluster of palace buildings, to the courtyard and when he entered, he realised something was wrong. Because there was an unsteady podium that had been raised in the night, and on top of it stood a man, and the man’s face was covered with a black sack. Ilia’s legs stopped by themselves, ‘’w-wait…’’ he turned wildly to the guards, ‘’what about my trial…?’’

‘’Traitors don’t get a trial,’’ the guards said coldly, seizing him under his arms.

‘’Let me see Kaen,’’ he said, his voice breaking.

‘’You will see him,’’ there was a snigger in the man’s voice, ‘’he will be right there, watching.’’

And he wouldn’t be the only one. As he was led up the stairs onto the podium, the rest of the courtyard was revealed to him. Silent as death, every nobleman and noblewoman, servant and guard at the palace, was gathered in front to witness his death. Like a spectacle. And right there, next to Johan and Serafin, who was already weeping silently, was Kaen. He didn’t look quite there, like he couldn’t believe the situation. And Ilia couldn’t believe he wouldn’t be able to tell him what really happened, and that he loved him. More than a simple ‘I love you, too’ could enclose. And a part of him was full of rage for him, because he had believed Johan, and he hadn’t come for him. He’d broken his promise, he hadn’t believed him this time, either. Their eyes met across the courtyard and Ilia’s legs bucked by themselves. He was shoved forward, but he couldn’t stop staring at Kaen.

‘’Ilia Hakan of House Shah, second prince of Moriya, first of your name, you have been accused of treason against the crown and king, and thus sentenced to death by beheading.’’ The man with the sack over his head intoned. Ilia promised himself he’d at least go out with dignity, that he wouldn’t give the Kai court a show, but when he saw the glinting axe that would take his life, his fear returned like a kick in the gut. He would be butchered like an animal for a feast, ‘’you may say your prayers.’’

But Ilia was shaking so badly he wouldn’t have even made a sign of worship to the gods, couldn’t have muttered the simplest prayer. Jhoka, dressed all in black, walked up to the podium and gently removed his high-collared jacket, ‘’be strong. It will be over soon,’’ she offered in a kind, quiet voice as he folded the garments in her hands and held them tightly. Now his neck was exposed. And, gods, they could execute him, but not without him saying goodbye to Kaen first. Not before then. His head whipped to where Kaen stood, his braid smacking his cheek. His braid, which his mother had plaited for him every day when he was a child and she had been alive. She had thought him so gentle, so kind, so beautiful, and look what he had become.  He could not find his voice, so he looked Kaen deep in the eyes, as if he could say all his heart was screaming at him to say, ‘ _I’m so sorry. I love you. You promised you’d believe me this time. Tell them to let me talk to you, one last time. Do something. Say something. Don’t just stand there. I love you. I love you._ ’

And he must have understood because Kaen’s words formed his name, silently, and then his voice, quiet, hoarse, like he’d been crying too, echoed through the silent audience, ‘’wait…’’ he turned to his brother, ‘’Johan, wait…’’ but the executor didn’t wait. His large, gloved hands grabbed Ilia by the shoulders and shoved him to the ground.

‘’May the god Septhis welcome you and may the goddess Mahamari, the executor of the gods, help my slice be strong and fast.’’ The executor whispered, to himself more than to Ilia, before he picked up his axe.

‘’Stop!’’ Kaen’s roar was strong, and it settled Ilia’s rapidly beating hard. He didn’t hate him after all, not fully. He still wanted to see him. So it was all okay. From where he knelt, he saw Johan gesture for guards to grab Kaen, hold him in place. He fought them fiercely, and three of them, including Kay, struggled to keep him in place. His screams for the executor to stop, screams damning Johan that could have gotten him up there, too, resounded through the courtyard. Finally, some spectators turned their heads. Serafin was crying full force now, shaking Johan’s arm, begging him to stop it all, but Johan’s eyes were cold and hard and staring only at the executor. He gave a nod.

 Kaen finally looked at Ilia again, and Ilia smiled at him gently. Finally, finally Kaen was fighting for him. It was too late, but it felt good, knowing that finally, he’d had someone who loved him as fiercely as he loved people, that never thought of him as more than a nuisance, or as someone to protect, not love – his father, his brother, his governess, his weapons teacher, Cyr, Yeshel…

‘’Do you forgive me?’’ the executor finally asked.

‘’No! Stop! Let him go! Let him go, Johan! Tell them to stop! Ilia!’’

‘’Yes,’’ Ilia’s voice was a mere whisper, a breath, and he remained looking at Kaen as the executor lifted his axe. With it, Ilia’s spirit seemed to lift, making his fear and heart break dissolve, till there was nothing more than Kaen’s blue eyes, fighting for him. He could feel every muscle of the executor’s arms and back tense as the axe was lifted over his head. Ilia would not close his eyes. He kept looking into Kaen’s, finding peace there.

‘’Stop it! STOP!’’ Kaen pleaded, his voice breaking.

‘’Johan, stop him!’’ Serafin cried out.

And then all was silent.

The spectators gasped as one.

Kaen’s strength gave way and he crumpled to his knees.

Serafin clamped a hand over his mouth, as the axe fell.

And embedded itself right next to Ilia, mere inches from his knees.

He turned, everything coming back to him, the fear, the worry, the anxiety, and he wanted to smack whoever had broken the moment in which he had been _ready_ until he saw the executor clutching his bleeding hand, and a golden dagger embedded in the wooden podium. A golden dagger that he remembered well, for he had gifted it to his best friend and protector on her fourteenth birthday. Yeshel marched onto the podium, with all the power and authority of a Queen, her blue head scarf billowing in the wind as she snatched up her dagger, and the axe, holding it in one hand, and pointed both at the executioner, ‘’you will not hurt him,’’ she said, loud enough for them all to hear, ‘’you will not hurt an innocent man, and his child.’’

*~*~*

Strangely enough, Ilia was escorted to his rooms, not a cell, where he was told to wait. Ten minutes later Kaen was there. He stood there for a moment, just taking him in, and then he seemed to break, opening his arms. Ilia had never ran so fast in his life. He launched himself at Kaen, who lifted him easily, only now noticing the slight extra weight. Ilia wrapped his legs around Kaen’s waist and his arms around his neck and held on tight. Kaen wrapped his arms around his back, whispering his name over and over. They stood there like that for what seemed like hours, till Kaen could not hold him anymore and went over to the bed, sliding Ilia gently into his lap. Ilia finally pulled away and Kaen cradled his face in his hands, his voice desperate, ‘’why didn’t you tell me? Gods, why didn’t you tell me we were going to have a child…’’

‘’Yeshel wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. I’m glad she did, but…’’ Ilia shied away from Kaen and wrapped his arms protectively over his stomach, ‘’I beg you, let’s not talk about it. I’m not ready.’’

‘’Of course. Of course, gods, I’m so sorry, Ilia…’’ he kissed his forehead, bringing him close again, holding his face, ‘’forgive me, I shouldn’t have even let them march you to that block, but what Johan told me…’’

‘’It’s true,’’ Ilia said and was relieved when Kaen didn’t flinch away.

‘’It doesn’t matter,’’ he said.

‘’You can’t say things like that,’’ Ilia burst out, ‘’I wanted you dead, Kaen!’’ he grabbed his wrists, ‘’you have every right to be angry. I was going to kill you. All those times you slept with me, all I could think about was how great it would be when you were finally gone.’’

‘’No,’’ Kaen’s voice was determined, ‘’you had every right to hate me. I hurt you that first time, badly, more badly than you’d ever admit to me. And the way I treated you…gods, I would hate me too. I was so cruel, just because your hair wasn’t silver.’’

Slowly, Ilia reached out and ran his fingers through his dark blond hair, ‘’truth be told, at the beginning I didn’t want to come. My brother was one of the closest people to me, and I didn’t want to go to some strange country, to do some horrific job, to kill people, to marry a man I’ve never met,’’ he stroked his cheek, ‘’but since the moment you saw me, you were kind. I remember all of it, Kaen. The way you were around me, since we met. You kept smiling at me, and you kissed my hand when you could not reveal my face. I knew then that any man so kind, couldn’t be worth killing. I wavered,’’ he dropped his hand, ‘’but then I let myself believe you weren’t good after all when you rejected me. You were angry, as I would be. You expected an Omega, and you got…’’ he gestured to himself.

‘’The most beautiful boy in the five kingdoms?’’ Kaen interrupted him, ‘’yes, I did.’’ Ilia flushed, and Kaen took his hand, ‘’the beginning was messed up. I shouldn’t have blamed you, but your brother. Perhaps you shouldn’t have been a smirking, ignorant prick, either, but you know,’’ Kaen finally grinned at him and leaned their forehead together, ‘’none of us are perfect,’’ his grin softened into a smile, ‘’although you’re pretty close,’’ he pressed a gentle kiss to Ilia’s full lips.

Ilia stared at him in bewilderment, ‘’I tried to kill you. How are you not angry?’’

Kaen sighed, ‘’honestly…maybe I knew? After…what I did to you during our first time, you were so calm, almost like you were planning something. I didn’t trust you since I saw your black hair anyway, so it was pretty possible, especially since the assassins were from Moriya. That’s why I tossed you in the tower, remember? But it all kind of…stopped mattering, at one point. It’s like…I knew you were dangerous, but I pretended like you weren’t?’’ he smiled, ‘’pretty stupid of me, huh?’’

Ilia finally broke, let the love he’d been holding on a leash rush through his body, ‘’I’m sorry, Kaen,’’ he whispered, his voice breaking.

‘’When you gave me a…you know…were you planning it then?’’

Ilia cast down his eyes, ‘’yes.’’

‘’Okay,’’ Kaen didn’t seem bothered, stroking his arms slowly, ‘’what about when we did it next? When you…flinched.’’

Ilia pressed his forehead into Kaen’s shoulder, ‘’then, too,’’ he voice was incredibly quiet.

‘’And yet you wanted to help my brother with closing the mines in Moriya,’’ Kaen said thoughtfully, stroking his hair, ‘’and the time when I braided your hair?’’

‘’That was what made me call him off,’’ Ilia said, ‘’that, and how gentle you’ve become, in general. It was almost like you were a different person for a while, and then the man I met on our wedding day, the one who smiled at me and threatened to kill anyone who spoke a bad word of me, came back. And he’s here now,’’ Ilia hugged him tightly.

Kaen hugged him back tightly, and Ilia knew something big was coming, ‘’Johan has declared a war on Moriya, and he’s called parliament to grant him extraordinary revenue. So…higher taxes.’’

Ilia flinched, but he wasn’t surprised, ‘’I figured he would. After all…’’

‘’Yes,’’ Kaen stroked his back, ‘’but you are by no means a prisoner of war. And Yeshel spoke to Johan. She said he has a debt to her for saving the life of his brother at the masquerade, and she wanted it transferred to you, so that it is paid now, because Johan has pardoned you. Well,’’ Kaen shrugged, ‘’that, and he won’t kill the man bearing his nephew or niece. But he had to punish you, so he’s fined us.’’

Ilia winced and sat up, ‘’a lot?’’

‘’Yes. A bit,’’ Kaen grinned at him, ‘’I paid with your dowry. But we have enough so that when Johan settles in as King,’’ he drew his fingers up Ilia’s arms again, and his voice dropped, ‘’we can go to one of my islands, and settle in a manse and live away from court.’’

Ilia’s heart fluttered, ‘’that would make me very happy.’’

‘’Good,’’ Kaen looked at him, ‘’I aim to make you the happiest person alive from now.’’

Ilia pressed their foreheads together and stroked Kaen’s cheekbone with his thumb, ‘’husband,’’ he tasted the word and smiled, kissing him, ‘’I want you to make love to me.’’

‘’But the…’’ Kaen reached for Ilia’s stomach.

Ilia grabbed his wrist, ‘’Yeshel says I’m only a month or two in. So it’s safe,’’ he assured, and Kaen looked relieved, his hands already slipping under his tunic, ‘’and, please, let’s not talk about it,’’ he kissed Kaen again, relieved to be alive.


	25. The Sovereign Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guysss! I'm so glad you enjoyed last chapter! 
> 
> Alna_King: I'm glad it blew your mind ;)
> 
> StellaCruz: hahaha I can't believe you fell off the couch!!! xD Hope your mom doesn't think you're weird or anything xD 
> 
> PoT4ToM4N: Sameee~
> 
> SeamoreRed: GOOD! You were meant to believe I was gonna kill Ilia, hehe~
> 
> zef: Kaen-junior, looool dudeeee xD Especially for you, some Aris-Bane today ;) 
> 
> Green_Witch: thanks so much for commenting, I'm so glad you liked the story so far!
> 
> Also, well done to StellaCruz & SeamoreRed for calling Ilia's pregnancy xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways thank so much for all the support I got so far, you guys are absolutely fantastic. I can't belive I've written a year of their lives now, time flies, whoop whoop <3 I love you all, especially my girls, Alna_King, StellaCruz, SeamoreRed & zef!!!  
> Ps. I started watching Boku no Hero Academia, cuz of the gay fan art that is just so good. The anime is good. So good.  
> Pps. in case you didn't know, Serafin and Ilia have accents, even though they speak Kai very well. Finn's is very, very light but you an tell Ilia is a foreigner from his voice. Even though he's from an Arabia-inspired country, I acc imagine him to have a slight Easter European accent. Weird? Anyway enjoy

Spring came around without anyone noticing, and with it came the letter.

_Dear Kaen,_

_I will keep this brisk, as I have matters to attend to. Near the end of the winter, it pains me to say, King Sava passed away. Mercifully it was in his sleep, with his sister and myself to keep him company in his last moments. Two days prior, I had informed him of my condition, which finally offered him peace of heart. Like you had advised me to do so, I have fallen pregnant with my dear late husband’s child, although it was during our consummation, Mahala suggests. She has been a great help, and has thrown her full weight, as the first princess of Sahr, behind me. The news probably will reach you with this letter, from an envoy or a spy, but I have been officially crowned the Queen of Sahr. The people have accepted me as the beloved wife of their beloved king, carrying his beloved child and heir to the throne._

_I pray you keep your anger in check as I remind you of your promise, which you gave me a long time ago, a little after our father had died, before I lost my brothers to one thing or the other. You promised that if I marry Sava and ensure that damned alliance for you, you would allow me to choose my next spouse, if I shall choose to have one. And I have chosen._

_Nav and I will be married before the spring ends and he will not be returning to Kainan as Lord of Mor. I hope you push aside the anger you no doubt must be feeling right now, as your sister marries a man with little royal blood, and understand that I have loved Nav longer than any of you have cared to realise. Ever since I knew what love was, I knew that Nav was the person I would grant mine to. Fate made it so that our paths were not destined to cross, but now I defy Fate, and follow my ‘_ ruh’ _– my spirit, as the people of Sahr believe one should. I hope you will accept Nav, when you see him again, as the King Consort of Sahr and not just as a mere lower-born man who governs your lands. He is a good person, I know you know it to be true, or you would have not sent him here to me. He did not mean to betray you, but I think you know that love does not let us choose._

_I sincerely hope our invitation to your child’s naming ceremony still stands. I want to see all of you again. Like grandmother Anna used to say – ‘’Hyndestanes should not be apart for long, for their wilt like late autumn flowers’’._

_Keeping you in my prayers, always,_

_Your loving sister,_

_Elentina Alima Hyndestane I, Queen of Sahr_

*~*~*

Bane found Aris reading a letter on his bed. He still hadn’t gathered the courage to ask Aris to sleep in his room, as this would probably end with his eyes getting gouged out. In fact, he had not initiated any physical contact after that one night, as Aris was walking around grumpier than ever. As the mild winter passed, so did the raw, burning grief for Merina. Now everyone seemed to rid themselves of all the dark things plaguing their minds, and concentrated rather on remembering Merina as she had been – strong, kind and brave, a pillar for her family and the foundation on which Bane built his rule. Dieu was a good second, but he would never replace Merina, who had been like a second sibling, like a replacement the gods sent him for that child that had died in his mother’s womb all those years before.

Aris did not look up from his reading. At this point only Bane came into his room without knocking, as everyone else ended up with a fist to the face. Once it ended with May and Aris scuffling at the bottom of the fighting pit. Another time it resulted with Wiss and Aris having a shouting match, and that in turn ended with Bane and Dieu bumping heads and _then_ landing at the bottom of the fighting pit. But Aris didn’t mind if Bane did it. The Bandit King sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Aris to stop reading, but the Omega seemed to read and re-read the letter, so finally he spoke, ‘what does it say?’’

‘’Apparently my sister is now the Queen of Sahr,’’ he said simply, as if he couldn’t believe it himself.

Bane allowed a second of worry flash through his head, about how he literally stole the brother of two ruling monarchs and one consort. If things went south, he’d have Asakura, Kainan and Sahr on his head. But he pushed the thoughts away, instead reaching out and stroking Aris’ exposed shoulder with his knuckles. Finally Aris looked away from the letter, looking down at Bane’s hand, at Bane and then back at his hand as if it was some strange animal crawling up his shoulder, ‘’what are you doing?’’

‘’Touching you,’’ Bane said quietly, ‘’do I need permission for that?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Aris snapped, turning back to his letter.

Bane withdrew his hand and let it hover a few inches from Aris’ skin, ‘’can I touch you?’’

‘’No.’’

‘’What’s with you today?’’ Bane leaned forward anyway, pressing a kiss to Aris’ shoulder and his mate regarded him like one might a persistent toddler, ‘’yes, no, yes, no… too good for words?’’

‘’Don’t tease me,’’ Aris pulled away from him, ‘’I’m not in the mood.’’

Bane sat up straighter, ‘’that much is clear,’’ he said, tilting his head to the side, ‘’want to tell me why?’’

‘’Not particularly,’’ Aris’ voice was ice as he turned back to his letter.

Bane plucked it from his hands and set it gently on the floor. Aris turned to protest, but Bane grasped his chin and gazed into his eyes, ‘’what is it?’’

Aris smacked his hand away, ‘’I’m just…worried.’’

‘’About?’’

Aris looked away, ‘’myself.’’

Bane’s eyebrows rose, ‘’Aris, you know you’re safe here…’’

‘’That’s not what I meant. I’m worried…’’ his hand fluttered over his stomach, ‘’about myself. After…what we did, I didn’t…take a potion straight away. I was distracted and it took me a few days, so I’m worried it didn’t work and…’’

‘’You think you’re going to have a child?’’ Bane raised an eyebrow, sceptical, ‘’Aris, the middle of spring is nearing. The First Blossom Festival has gone by, already.  It’s been, what…four months since then? I think you would have noticed if you were having a child. I think I would have noticed it, too,’’ he took Aris’ hand gently and brought it to his lips, but Aris snatched it away. Bane rarely tried things like that, and only in the privacy of Aris’ room, which was why Aris was usually guarded around him, ‘’there’s something else.’’

‘’Yes. There is,’’ Aris cleared his throat, wringing his hands out nervously in his lap. Bane smiled at him encouragingly. How could Aris be so nervous around him? He knew that Bane would give him anything, anything at all, ‘’since we’re on the subject of children…Johan’s child’s birth day…’’

‘’You still want to go?’’

Aris’ head snapped up, ‘’of course!’’

‘’I was actually going to tell you a while ago that I thought about it,’’ Bane took his hand again and this time Aris didn’t withdraw it, listening to his words intently, ‘’and I realised I’m being unreasonable. And that you deserve your freedom. So you can go.’’

Aris’ face lit up, ‘’really?’’

‘’Yes.’’ Bane smiled. He so rarely saw Aris excited, but his next words surprised him.

‘’You’ll come with me, won’t you?’’

Bane looked away and scratched his chin with a finger, ‘’um…I don’t think your brother would particularly want me there.’’

‘’He’ll have to deal with it,’’ Aris begun climbing over Bane, ‘’I’ll just write him a letter…’’

He yelped when Bane grabbed him around the middle and tossed him onto the pillows. Aris stared up at him, stunned, as Bane easily grabbed his ankles and swung his legs open to settle between, ‘’what are you doing?’’ Aris asked again, his voice high pitched and panicked.

‘’Relax,’’ Bane laughed, kissing the tip of his nose, ‘’forgive me, but I’m at my limit. I need you.’’

‘’It’s not even night yet!’’ Aris protested, shoving hard against Bane’s chest.

Bane grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head with one hand. Aris might have been pretty muscular for an Omega, but his wrists were thin, and Bane felt like he could snap them if he applied a little pressure, ‘’it’s not fair,’’ he complained in a low voice, tracing his hands down Aris’ chest. Aris’ breath hitched, ‘’it’s like you give me a taste of the forbidden fruit, and then not let me have the whole thing.’’

‘’Idiot, you’ve had the whole thing,’’ Aris writhed in his grip, trying to curl one leg around so he could kick Bane in his balls and kill the erection he so clearly had.

‘’And I want it again,’’

‘’Too bad,’’ Aris tried to pull his wrists out from under Bane’s grip to no avail.

‘’I see you need some convincing,’’ he said with a wicked grin, and dipped his head to flick his tongue experimentally against the shell of Aris’ ear. His mate shuddered, ‘’oh,’’ Bane’s exhale was a puff of warm air on his ear, ‘’you’re sensitive here,’’ he did not show Aris mercy, as he bit down gently on his lobe and proceeded to lick and kiss just below it, making Aris curl in his grip, ‘’I wonder where else,’’ he whispered, kissing down his neck. He released Aris’ wrists to pull up the hem of his tunic and Aris used the opportunity to shove him back again. Bane clucked his tongue, his eyes darkening, ‘’you’re being a bad boy, Aris.’’

In the next instant, he was undoing his belt and grabbing Aris’ wrists again. Aris tried to kick at him, ‘’you’ve got to be kidding me,’’ he complained, cursing at Bane as he tied his wrists with his belt and secured them to the stone headboard of the bed. The grip of the leather was even stronger than Bane’s, and Aris could struggle all he wanted to no avail. Bane watched him for a while with appreciative eyes, before whipping Aris’ dagger, which he had forgotten he had, from his waistband. He proceeded to cut Aris’ tunic, ‘’what the hell are you doing!?’’ Aris screeched.

‘’I forgot to take it off before I tied you up,’’ Bane said sheepishly, pulling the cut strips of fabric from Aris’ chest, exposing his pale flesh. Aris shivered under his gaze. Bane traced a finger from the dip between his collarbones, marvelling at how this pale skin would turn golden with a little summer sun. His finger traced around Aris’ nipple lazily and Aris’ arched his back, gasping. Bane grinned, ‘’oh, I found another place,’’ he said, pleased with himself, before pressing his finger down on the nipple. Aris sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. Bane dipped his head and flicked his tongue against the pink bud, causing a breathless gasp to escape Aris’ lips, ‘’gods, you’re unreal,’’ Bane whispered against his flesh, taking the nipple into his mouth. A disbelieving moan left Aris’ lips and Bane paid good attention to it, and the other one, too. When he lifted his head back up, Aris was bright red in the face and his eyes were hazy. He blushed prettily, Bane thought. He liked the contrast between his dark silver hair and the pink of his cheekbones.

Unable to stop himself, he pulled down Aris’ pants and pulled out his erection, ‘’Bane, sto- ah!’’ he gasped again and swore as Bane took him into his mouth, hand working the base. He sucked with vigour and Aris mewled, swearing at him once in a while in a moany, breathless voice that made Bane go crazy.

‘’Feels good?’’ Bane asked when he withdrew, a smirk on his lips.

‘’Shut up,’’ Aris half-heartedly kicked out at him. Bane caught his ankle and kissed it, pressing hot, wet kisses all the way up his knee, down the soft flesh of his thigh and back to the area that required immediate attention. He licked the shaft and head till Aris’ breathing sped up. And then he stopped, ‘’wha…?’’ Aris didn’t seem fully conscious. He struggled against the belt, his hips rutting against nothing, seeking the last few seconds of friction to finish him off. Beads of precum gathered at the head. Bane waited for a few seconds before licking them off neatly. Aris shuddered, ‘’Bane…’’

‘’What?’’

Aris swore at him, ‘’if you’re not going to finish, untie me so I can do it.’’

‘’Who said I’m not going to finish?’’ Bane asked cheekily, hollowing out his cheeks as he went down again. This time it only took a minute to get Aris moaning and another minute for him to stiffen and cry out. But seconds before release, Bane withdrew again.

Aris glared at him with half-lidded eyes, breath laboured, ‘’I hate you,’’ he growled.

‘’Don’t lie to me,’’ Bane kissed the inside of his thigh, ‘’you love me. And you love what I do to you.’’

‘’Keep telling yourself that.’’ Aris snapped but gasped helplessly when Bane’s mouth swallowed him up again. The lack of release was starting to hurt and thirty seconds later, when Bane withdrew again without finishing, his member ached. Aris craved the warmth of Bane’s mouth but he was not going to tell him that. Bane turned his attention back to Aris’ thighs, kissing the milky flesh over and over till Aris stopped shivering. Then he descended on him again, ‘’please finish. Please,’’ Aris begged breathlessly.

How could Bane not give in to his pleas? In seconds, he had Aris grasping the leather holding his wrists, moaning out loud, thigh shaking on either side of Bane’s head as he came. Bane swallowed it greedily, and withdrew, stroking him through the after-shivers of the orgasm, kissing his stomach lovingly. He finally pulled himself back up against Aris and locked their mouths together in a hot, desperate kiss. When he finished, Aris tucked his head against the crook of his arm, hiding from him, eyes closed. Bane cupped his cheek, ‘’do you want it?’’ he waited, but got no reply, ‘’Aris. Tell me.’’

‘’Don’t ask me that,’’ Aris whispered, ‘’it’s embarrassing.’’

‘’I can’t not ask,’’ Bane laughed quietly, kissing his cheek, ‘’I want to know. I want you to tell me it’s okay.’’

Aris looked at him, blue eyes shining with lust, but when he spoke his voice was tender, ‘’it’s okay.’’

*~*~*

Shay sat up, almost annoyed, when Mihai pushed him away. His stomach was beginning to stick out visibly, so now there was no denying that he was with child. But Shay didn’t seem to understand that, ‘’it’s dangerous,’’ Mihai told him. They’d been kissing on the bed, but Shay had wanted to go further. And Mihai wasn’t about to risk losing the child.

‘’I know,’’ Shay told him in Asakurian, stroking his hand down his head and the length of his braid, playing with the tip with his long fingers, ‘’but I’m…frustrated. It’s frustrating. Not being able to touch you,’’ he mumbled the last words. Shay wasn’t good at expressing his desires and wants, especially when they were as outgoing as lusting after someone constantly.

‘’I know. Being with you like that is very important to me,’’ Mihai assured, scooting closer to him on the mat. He took Shay’s hand and placed it on his stomach, ‘’but our child is even more important. You understand that, don’t you.’’

‘’Of course,’’ Shay said, placating, not wanting to worry his pregnant husband, but he was still mildly annoyed. Despite being a young adult, Shay had the stamina and libido of a teenager. He got aroused easily to the point where pregnant Mihai had to avoid him at night sometimes, or risk their developing child getting hurt. No wonder he’d kept a whole harem before marrying Mihai.

‘’I’m sorry,’’ Mihai said sweetly, cupping his face, ‘’just bear with it a little longer.’’

Shay leaned across the space to kiss him, ‘’forgive me, I’m being selfish. You should rest now.’’

‘’What about you?’’ Mihai asked, obediently shuffling down under the covers on the mat.

‘’I still have some business to attend to,’’ Shay said reassuringly, kissing him goodnight.

‘’Now? It’s late,’’ Mihai said, pouting, but knew there was nothing that could make Shay sleep before he took care of everything for the day, ‘’when will you come sleep.’’

‘’Soon. It shouldn’t take long.’’ Shay said, smiling and leaving their bedchambers.

As promised, when Mihai woke up in the morning, Shay was sound asleep next to him. Mihai stroked his long, black hair out of his eyes, kissed his forehead and got up. He usually had servants helping him dress, considering the bulge of his stomach, but he did not want to wake Shay, so he crept behind the folded screen that hid him from his husband and begun the lengthy process on pulling on layers of silk and cashmere, tying it with a dark purple sash across his waist when he was done. Shay had commissioned special clothing to be made each month, accustomed to his growing size. It was early. Mihai usually woke with the sun these days, sick to his stomach, but not today. Today he felt good and woke early from habit. At this time, the only people awake were the servants preparing breakfast and the soldiers, omnipresent in the corridors. Mihai had learnt to treat and view them as part of the walls.

Stroking his stomach lovingly, he strolled down the corridors of the palace. He usually did so after his morning sickness left, to calm himself. He ventured to the weirdest places, but today he ended up in front of the martial chamber that he had never used with Shay properly. There was still that very first time that Mihai still tried to forget. He’d not been in there since. His curiosity got the best of him, and he pushed it open. It hadn’t changed much, although clearly it was cleaned regularly. Mihai glanced at the white futon on the floor.

And froze.

There was a woman sleeping under it, naked, breasts exposed to the sunlight falling through the windows, long, dark hair splayed across the pillows. He tried to get his heart to beat again, but it seemed impossible, until the door was pushed open and Mohadesh strolled in. She had a tray with her, on which a chalice and a small vial sat. When she saw Mihai, the tray fell from her hands and crashed to the floor, waking the girl in the futon. She sat up, looking around wildly, sheets pressed to her chest but Mihai was looking at Mohadesh. He found his voice, ‘’is she one of yours?’’ he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Mohadesh dipped her head respectfully, ‘’I’m very sorry, your majesty.’’

And Mihai said the first bad thing about Shay since he arrived in Asakura almost a year ago, ‘’that _bastard_!’’ he shot from the room and back the way he came as fast as his stomach would allow him, fast enough so that he did not hear Mohadesh calling after him or snapping at the courtesan to get dressed. Mihai’s vision was red and before he knew it, he was back in Shay’s chambers, slamming open the doors. Shay was already sitting up, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Mihai went to him, knelt in front of him and slapped him hard across the face. Shay’s head snapped back in his direction, his cheek red, eyes startled and angry, but the anger disappeared when he saw fat tears roll down Mihai’s eyes.

‘’Your promised, Shay,’’ he wept in a broken voice, ‘’here I am, bearing a child for you, and you go and sleep with a god damned _whore_?’’ he couldn’t even bring himself to rage. All he could do was stare at Shay with teary, disappointed, degraded, heart-broken eyes.

‘’I-I had needs…’’

‘’Do you think I don’t have needs like you?’’ Mihai whispered, ‘’I eat only what Mohadesh tells me to eat, I throw up every morning, I feel this child pushing my organs up till they’re cramped below my heart, I don’t even touch myself in fear of hurting your child, in fear that you won’t have an heir, and you’re here talking about _your_ needs?’’ Shay stared at him with wide eyes. Mihai stood, not wanting to be close to him for even a second longer, ‘’you promised you wouldn’t use it ever again, and you broke your promise, so I want you to dissolve the Harem.’’

Shay’s eyes widened even further, ‘’every Emperor and Empress of Asakura has had a Harem. You’re asking me to break a tradition-‘’

‘’You’ve had your Harem for many years,’’ Mihai forced his voice to be cold, but it didn’t work very well. Mihai wasn’t a naturally cold person, ‘’you can get rid of it now. How can I ever trust you to not use it again, when I am away, or pregnant or even not in the mood? You’re dissolving it.’’

Shay stood up, and glared at Mihai for the first time in his life, ‘’watch who you’re talking to. I am the Emperor and your lord husband.’’

‘’You are _nothing_ to me if I am to serve as your whore for the rest of my life,’’ Mihai screamed at him, finally exploding, ‘’if you want your Harem so much, have it! But the moment you decide you want it, I’m packing my belongings, and getting on the first ship back to Kainan, with this child, which you will never see again.’’

That stunned Shay into silence. He watched Mihai with shocked eyes, watched his tears drip off his chin and realised that he was not joking. Shay ran to him, grabbed his hand and sunk to his knees in front of him, ‘’forgive me. Forgive me, Mihai,’’ he whispered heatedly, kissing his hand, ‘’I’ll get rid of it. I swear to you, right now, by dawn they will all be gone. So please don’t go. Please don’t leave me. I love you and I’m such an idiot for touching anyone else. Forgive me, Mihai.’’

And, like always, Mihai’s heart reached out to Shay, but he had to confirm it, ‘’swear you will get rid of it.’’

‘’I swear to you,’’ Shay rose to his feet and cupped Mihai’s face, ‘’I swear it.’’

True to his word, the next time Mihai saw Mohadesh, she was leaving through the palace gates with confused looking, beautiful boys and girls of every race, shape and size. Mihai realised they probably had nowhere to go, but with his child growing in his stomach, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Shay probably arranged some place for them to live out the rest of their lives. Mohadesh, dressed in a drab brown cloak contrasting to her usual bright attires, stopped by Mihai. She carried but a single satchel. She looked him deep in the eyes, ‘’a final word of advice for the young prince,’’ she said coldly, ‘’the Emperor belongs to the country, not to you alone.’’

Mihai glared at her, ‘’thank you for your service,’’ he said through clenched teeth.

Mohadesh gave an exaggerated bow of her head and was on her way. Mihai watched the woman who saved his life disappear through the gates. He looked out onto the Harem, now but an empty building, with empty streets and washing room and baths beyond it, and vowed to have it destroyed.


	26. The Captain's Apprentice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guyssss! Thanks so much for all the love, I love each and every one of you!!!  
> zef - Heyyy girl, thanks so much for the comment <3 yasss, I'm all for lady boners xD OMGG I FEEL YOU like Boku no Hero Academia is cool, but the fanart...LIKE DAMNN~~ I ship Izuku and Kachan, obvss, but I also ship him with the dude who has white-red hair (haven't gotten to him yet ;P) but then I ship all three of them together as well???? What about you xD? 
> 
> Btw, I watch a shitload of anime. Aot, Tokyo Ghoul, Angel Beats, Haikyuu, Mirai Nikki & Higurashi, just to name a few ;P 
> 
> Alna_King - whoop, whoop, you go girl, you open that Baris fanbase with zef!!! Omg, I'm so happy you like the Aris Bane POV, and it's imprinted in your head, like, girlll, stop showering me with complimentss xD <3 <3 Lets just get married ;) <3 
> 
> SeamoreRed - omg Finn practicing his Kai for Johan is like the cutest concept. Thanks so much for your ongoing support, love you~
> 
> Thanks so much for everything you guyss, even the ones I didn't mention! And everyone who is new - WELCOME TO THIS CRAZY AF LOT, YOU CAN'T LEAVE NOW   
> ALSO   
> Can someone write a really good, multi-pairing, smutty, fluffy, drunken truth or dare Haikyuu fic for me cuz I have no time but I'm craving one where there's loads of pairings ;-;

The assassin’s head fell neatly from the chopping block and rolled lazily down the wooden steps, dark hair splayed. The two guard on either side of the raised wooden podium rushed to grab it before it hit Johan’s feet. The king stood silent and brooding in the empty dungeons. He had not permitted Cyr’s execution to be a public event, mainly due to his last words. Johan pondered on them now. Cyr had not fought or tried to escape, but he had not give up either. He sat there, smirking, cuffed by the wrist to a hook in the wall of his cell, as Johan read out his sentence, almost like he wanted it. Almost like Johan was the one signing his death warrant. And after he’d finished telling Cyr how he would die, the Moriyan assassin looked at him with dark eyes and said ‘you woke up the lions.’ Now, as Cyr’s headless body was dragged away, Johan  rubbed the back of his head in frustration at what it could mean. And there were other problems, too.

The spring had overtaken Kainan with a flurry of flowers and spring rains, marking officially a year of Johan’s rule. But it almost seemed like there were more problems now than there had been. Firstly, there was Elentina. A year prior he had been inexperienced, emotional and willing to please, so he’d promised his only sister – only _full_ sister, he reminded himself. Elenia had disappeared into the night and no matter where Johan looked, he couldn’t find her – whatever she had wanted. But he had no idea that she would go and marry Nav, a low born man, whose family had climbed up the social rank the hard way, who was always looked down upon by other nobles, for inheriting Mor without noble blood. Johan had liked Nav, always; he was a kind, courageous, loyal man and he’d liked him not being royal-born. He liked to rub it in the faces of the snobby nobles, in his own way. But no matter how deep their friendship ran, Nav was not suited as a consort for a first princess, or even the second. As a future father, Johan would struggle to even marry him to his third child. And yet Elentina had gone and done the unspeakable; married beneath her. Or Johan figured she had, for after that one letter, Sahr had fallen silent with grief. He had no wish to write to his wild sister, but he was fairly certain Serafin assured her that the invitation to the name giving ceremony stood.

Ah…Serafin. Johan’s legs carried him out of the foul-smelling dungeons, through to their chambers. Although the child was due in summer, the physicians had made Serafin lay in bed all day, so Johan knew where to find him. Even so, Serafin wasn’t speaking to him much. He’d grown quiet ever since he’d disregarded his husbands please to stop Ilia’s execution. Johan knew why – he had promised Serafin the earth, the heavens and the keys to the seven gates of hell, and yet all Finn truly wanted was his husband, through and through. And yet Johan had not given his trust, had not tried to listen, blinded by his anger. He’s been an idiot, thinking Serafin would stay as gentle and kind even if he did things that Kings had to do. But Serafin was too gentle to be King, and too gentle to abide those things. And now Johan would pay for it by living through the sullen silences and the dark, beautiful eyes that would not even look at him.

He entered their chambers to find Serafin propped up by many pillows, the window open to let in the cool, fresh spring breeze. Johan closed it, and Serafin didn’t say anything; he’d grown tired about arguing what was good for his health with Johan. Instead, he pointed towards the palace walls, ‘’the people are petitioning again,’’ he said in a quiet voice.

Johan didn’t care to look in that direction. Instead, he sat down on the edge of the bed, and took Serafin’s hand. Finn didn’t snatch it back, but he didn’t react, either, ‘’they have no choice but to pay,’’ he said simply. The parliament had granted him a subsidy for the war with Moriya, to raise more men for the army and develop a navy good enough for a decent siege, and, as always, the people of Kainan had to pay. But the people of Kainan were angry, because Moriya was west, so the western cities and towns – Naha, Whailla, Mor, Rethymon and Queensbane should pay for the expedition. Instead, Johan had issued higher taxes across the country, from the cold wastelands of Aldhard and Perth all the way to bandit territory of Belladonna and Massacoury. Even the islands and the holy city of Santa Sierra hadn’t lucked out. Day and night the people petitioned outside palace gates to revoke the taxes, because they hadn’t been in the palace, and their family hadn’t been targeted by foreign assassins and a smirking King sitting on a throne an ocean away.

The one good thing was that with Johan’s child growing in his belly, Serafin’s god seemed to grow completely silent. Now instead of plagued with voices and thoughts, Serafin was simply bored. But not bored enough to forget what had happened that day. Johan found Serafin’s foot under the covers and pulled it into his lap. His stomach was large and his ankles were swollen, so he begun rubbing them as gently as he could. Serafin continued staring out of the window, ‘’will you come to the Feast with me tomorrow?’’ Johan finally asked, moving onto the second ankle.

‘’No,’’ Serafin spoke against his hand, ‘’I don’t feel like sitting in the corner and watching people dance.’’

‘’You could dance-‘’

‘’No,’’ Serafin looked at him with disapproval, ‘’I don’t want to.’’ He withdrew his feet back under the covers.

Johan sighed and scooted closer, ‘’talk to me, my love,’’ he whispered pleadingly.

‘’I am talking.’’

‘’I know I should have listened to you. I was overwhelmed,’’ he said, rubbing his face.

‘’This isn’t about me,’’ Serafin sighed, ‘’it’s about Ilia. The poor boy is still terrified, and he’s barely an adult. He’s a child in a foreign country, with a hostile brother in law and a child that he carries at the mere age of eighteen.’’

Johan played with his hands, ‘’my grandmother had my mother when she was only seventeen.’’ He mumbled.

‘’Yes, but your grandmother wasn’t nearly executed!’’ Serafin squeezed the covers on the bed in his fists, ‘’you can’t blame him for doing what his family wants. He didn’t know us. Even when he did, he still had his loyalties to his brother, obviously. We must  get past that and realise that he _chose_ to call the assassin off, and his personal servant saved your life.’’ Serafin raised his eyes to Johan, ‘’he’s not bad; he’s just lost.’’

Johan continued staring at his fingers and Serafin returned to looking out of the window. Finally, the King reached for Serafin’s hand again, ‘’will you go on a walk with me, at least?’’

The King knew Serafin would not pass on a chance to get out of his room, ‘’help me get dressed, please,’’ Serafin pulled back the covers from his round belly. Johan quickly pulled his specially made, extremely large sleeping gown over his head, and helped him into a tunic, trying the strings carefully. He ran a golden comb through his fiery hair and helped his swollen feet into a pair of shoes, before offering his arm. Serafin took it and they strolled out of their chambers and out of the palace. They did not speak, and for the first time in a year, the silence between them was awkward and stiffening. That is, until they reached the courtyard and stopped.

Kay was in the middle, holding a wooden practice-sword in his hand, easily blocking the wild blows from a child no older than eight. The little boy, with black, spiky hair was yelling battle cries with every blow, which the Captain of the Guard easily parried. Johan realised that this must have been the apprentice Kay had boasted so much about. He had no partner, or children, but he adored those of his siblings and was happy to finally have someone to teach. When he spotted the royal pair, Kay playfully pushed the little boy over and bowed his head. The boy jumped up, a little ball of energy, and dusted himself off, before whirling around in realisation. His eyes were a startling grey, like the reflection of a sky before the storm on the surface of a lake, clear and bright. He bowed, too, clumsily, folding practically in half.

‘’Your majesties, I am pleased to introduce my apprentice to you, Caomhán Rotavelle.’’

‘’I’m Cao, nice to meet you!’’ Caomhán exclaimed, bowing again.

‘’Rotavelle?’’ Serafin stepped forward, releasing Johan’s arm. His whole face lit up at the sight of the child, ‘’that sounds like a noble family name.’’

‘’Yes, my lord. Cao is the only child of my brother in law’s sister, the warden of Kingsbridge.’’ Kay said.

Johan saw Serafin flinch visibly. He’d gotten news months ago about the child’s parents, Warden Katarin and her husband, Gael, who had been found murdered by thugs in their secluded summer house. Johan had long since had Kay hunt down and hang the culprits, and it was one of the reasons he allowed the Captain a young apprentice. Young Cao had nowhere else to go. But Cao hadn’t spent much time with his parents, so he got over the loss relatively quickly. As a boy of eight, by the time he reached adulthood he would scarcely remember them – a small blessing. Right them Caomhán seemed more interested in Serafin than talk of his dead parents – namely, Serafin’s stomach, ‘’there is a child inside?’’ he blurted, staring at the protruding stomach in wonder. He was a chubby child, a cute one, too. Johan felt a swell of happiness at the thought that soon he’d have one of his very own running around. Maybe even making friends with Cao.

‘’Yes,’’ Serafin smiled kindly down at the child. Johan had missed that smile. The young King extended a hand and took Cao’s, pressing it to his stomach, ‘’can you feel it kick?’’

Caomhán waited with a comically concentrated expression, till he finally gasped, ‘’I can, I can!’’ he leaned in close, pressing his nose right up against Serafin stomach, which startled the young King. Still, he stroked Cao’s hair as the boy grinned against the tunic, his voice muffled, ‘’whoa! Hi, future king! Or Queen! Nice to meet you!’’ he called and Serafin laughed. Johan had missed that, too, ‘’I’m Caomhán Rotavelle, but you can call me Cao! I’m going to be your Captain of the Guard someday, but we can be friends, too!’’

Sheepishly, Kay dragged his apprentice away from Finn, ‘’forgive him; he has much to learn.’’

‘’Not at all,’’ Serafin patted his hair, ‘’we need more carefree smiles like this around,’’ as he said it, he felt himself grow tired. He child took his energy, so he smiled quickly at both of the men in front of him, before concentrating on Cao, ‘’you better get back to training if you want to grow strong, and one day protect my child.’’

‘’Yes! Leave it to me!’’ Cao exclaimed, grinning, before picking up his wooden sword again.

‘’Take me back?’’ Finn muttered weakly, the last reserved of energy draining from his body.

‘’Of course,’’ Johan took his elbow quickly and put an arm around his waist, holding him up as he escorted him back to their rooms.

*~*~*

During the Feast of Gordain, the royal family was moping. Johan, without his husband, sat at the head table looking miserable, swishing his wine in his cup while soldiers and warriors and councillors danced and sang and revelled, playing crude games and making a mess. Kaen, also without his husband, did what he did best at parties – brooded in the corner. The death of her husband, the kidnapping of his youngest son and the marriage of her two other children, as well as all the assassination attempts and the threat of war had taken an even more visible toll on Queen Mother Magnon than Johan. Behind her black veil, the wrinkles around her mouth and eyes deepened, the blue of her eyes dulled, and her golden hair went grey and thin. Jhoka, her companion of many years, sat with her as she tiredly watched the celebrations, wanting nothing more than her bed, but expected to remain there.

It was the perfect opportunity for Ryane, the palace runner, to…well, run. She had been Odion’s, and then Johan’s, Hermes for long enough, and in a matter of time she would be found out. The King was becoming too reckless for her liking – first torturing Elenia, then nearly executing Ilia and finally chopping off Cyr’s head. Ryane had never liked the assassins, of who she had been aware at all times, skulking around the palace but their absence made her feel exposed, almost like she was the next target. And she had already missed Merina’s funeral, and the fight, in which she could have done _something_. Plus, there was only so much cleaning, cooking and politics a mountain girl could take. So, as the royal family sulked and the guards drank, Ryane packed a sack-full of food, stole a horse and rode off towards the mountains.

If Bane wanted a plug at the palace, he could send someone else there.

*~*~*  


Aris was sitting in Bane’s room. It was his third time in the spacious chamber, and he was quietly jealous of all the space Bane had all to himself. Still, he’d rather his stone bed and tiny moonglass window than a chamber he had to share with his lustful mate. Bane was being lustful right at that moment, and Aris was half-heartedly trying to kick him off, ‘’bloody hell, get off me, you ingrate!’’

‘’Such language!’’ Bane gave an exaggerated gasp as he finally succeeded to climb onto the window seat in front of Aris. Pressed up against the glass, Aris could see straight down the drop of the mountain. It gave him a thrill, ‘’did your mother teach you to be so impertinent?’’

‘’Wow, little King Bane knows big words,’’ Aris rolled his eyes.

‘’Not so little,’’ Bane smirked and pulled Aris forward by his ankles, rubbing his half-hard front against Aris’.

Aris groaned, ‘’seriously, control yourself.’’

‘’I can’t,’’ Bane tilted his head, trying to steal a kiss.

Aris rolled onto his stomach, hiding his face, ‘’I’m not in the mood, Bane.’’

‘’You’re never in the mood,’’ Bane complained, and then corrected himself, ‘’I’m sorry. Sorry! Don’t get angry.’’

‘’I’m not getting angry,’’ Aris peered at him from under his lashes.

Bane’s shoulders slumped, ‘’I never know with you,’’ he said dejectedly.

Aris grinned, ‘’well, you can either learn to figure me out or put me back in Queensbane.’’

‘’Learning it is,’’ Bane pulled Aris up, so he was sitting between his legs, his back against Bane’s chest, ‘’but you know you can go, right?’’ he hugged his strong arms around Aris, ‘’as long as you can come back.’’

‘’I don’t feel the need,’’ Aris said. It was true. Now that he knew he could see Johan, and his family, he was in no sort of rush. And he was worried Johan would make him stay in the palace – he was quickly learning that he preferred stone walls to marble ones, ‘’and I would.’’

‘’Would what?’’ Bane nuzzled his lips against the place he had bit Aris so long ago, marking him as his.

‘’Come back,’’ Aris looked over his shoulder, and Bane finally stole that kiss he had wanted since Aris entered his chamber. When he pulled back, Aris glanced out of the window and his eyebrows rose, ‘’is that…?’’

Bane peered out of the window, at the entrance to the caves. He recognised Ryane, who was climbing up, by her mousy hair, ‘’Ryane? Yeah. I figured she’d be back soon. She’s never been much of a palace girl, but she did draw the short stick.’’

Aris shook his head, astounded, ‘’all those months and none of us realised that our palace runner was working for you.’’

Bane grinned against his neck, ‘’you have to have people everywhere,’’ he said wisely.

Aris hummed in response, and smiled fondly when May and Roshni, as if sensing the return of one of their girls, came shooting out of the caves like rockets and barrelled straight into the Hermes. They embraced like long lost sisters, and Aris felt a pang of pain shoot through his heart at the knowledge that Merina would never again be a part of that embrace.

*~*~*  


‘’What do you mean you’re not coming?’’ Mihai demanded in Kai. After the feast of Gordain, which had been as muted and quiet in Asakura as everything else, Mihai found that he had to confront his husband once more, ‘’you won’t really let me travel by myself. Won’t you miss me?’’

‘’Mihai,’’ Shay’s voice was slightly annoyed as he switched to Asakurian, ‘’you do realise I don’t understand when you speak Kai.’’

‘’Don’t lie,’’ Mihai snapped, crossing his arms over his chest, but he could never hold onto his anger for long, and it quickly gave way to sadness and disappointment, ‘’you said you would…’’

‘’I didn’t,’’ Shay said, but his voice softened to something apologetic. He took Mihai’s hands in his, ‘’Mihai. I’m the Emperor. I can’t go on a two month voyage to Kainan for a name giving ceremony. I’m sorry,’’ he kissed his hands, ‘’I truly am. But I will send my best guards with you, so you will be safe at all times.’’

‘’Your guards cannot battle the sea and the moods of the sky,’’ Mihai said sulkily.

‘’And neither could I, if I were there,’’ Shay said, reaching for Mihai to pull him into a hug. Over the months they’d grown close, so that when they were together they were almost always touching absently. Shay held the Omega close, ‘’but don’t worry. Your ship will not sink. You’re going at the end of Spring – the weather will be perfect for sailing.’’ He stopped when he felt something wet hit his collar and he pulled Mihai away at an arm’s length, watching the fat tears rolls down his cheeks in shock, ‘’oh, Mihai, no,’’ he whispered, pulling him close to kiss them away, ‘’don’t cry, Shhhh. I’d go if I could, you know I would.’’ He kissed his forehead, ‘’I love you. Don’t cry,’’ he repeated, and then added in his broken Kai, ‘’I sad when you sad?’’

This finally made Mihai laugh through his tears, ‘’I love you, Shay. I don’t want to go without you.’’

‘’I don’t want you to go, either,’’ he stroked Mihai’s hair with one hand and his stomach with the other, ‘’I’ll miss you. But this is important to you, I can tell that. We’ll have to apart for a little while, but you’ll come back to me.’’ He kissed his forehead, and then his lips, ‘’I love you, Mihai.’’

Mihai hugged him tightly, ‘’I love you, too.’’

By the time spring came to a close, Shay had gathered the best, most expensive things for Mihai; two dozen guards in new, shining armour; twice as many body servants; a few chests of gold and jewels as gifts for the happy couple back in Kainan; a magnificent vessel that would take Mihai on a safe passage back home; and, most importantly, more kisses than Mihai could count, to last him for the months when they would be apart. As Mihai boarded his carriage, leaving the palace for the docks for the second time in his life, he swore he saw Shay wipe away secret tears.


	27. The Heir to the Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys I think this chapter is banging, pls enjoy! And thank you for all the support!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zef - yes, defo watch Haikyuu!! Well, since you requested a steamy Baris scene...I hope you enjoy this chapter ;) 
> 
> Alna_King - you enjoy it, too! Oh, yas, I'm loving a royal style wedding - SHHH! You're not supposed to tell me you're hair isn't silver till AFTER the wedding xD But we need a big cake tho <3 Oh, whoops, I forgot Johan didn't know about Elenia being his half sister...let's just assume Kaen told him or something xD
> 
> SeamoreRed - hey, enjoy more of Merina angst, why not xD Thanks so much for your support, girl! 
> 
> StellaCruz - I'm guessing you're busy with exams so...GOOD LUCK YOU CAN DO IT I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! 
> 
> Thanks so much to all the support guys. Really, I appreciate it so much!

Summer came with a wave of stiffening heat, and with it came Johan’s birthday. As the King turned twenty seven, the whole country seemed to hold its breath. Serafin, round and due to give birth any day, seemed to make everyone nervous and eager for the heir to the throne to arrive. The expectation was drawn out for so long that when the time finally came, it caught everyone by surprise.

And Johan wasn’t there.

‘’My lord!’’ a palace maid came running into the throne room. She hadn’t bothered announcing herself, and her round cheeks were bright red, ‘’it’s started! The king’s child is coming!’’

Even though Rehan was Johan’s proxy, it was Kaen who was currently in the throne chamber. He wasn’t on the actual throne, but sitting on the steps below it, pondering on the situation of Kainan. The King himself had taken Kay fifty men north to the at best warm wastelands of Perth and Aldhard at the beginning of summer, to check up on the progress of soldier camps stationed there. He would be staying with Heba, who was the Duchess of Aldhard, and Kaen could only imagine what that would be like for both of them – Johan would probably end up staying in a tent on the training camp grounds. Now that Johan was gone, Ilia had begun venturing out of his chambers more often. His stomach was barely showing, but showing still, and the more persistent it became, the more Ilia pretended like it did not exist. He sat on the windowsill of the throne room when the maid barged in to deliver the news.

Kaen jumped to his feet, ‘’but Johan is a month’s ride away!’’

Ilia moved to him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, ‘’he should be on his way back, anyway. He should be here within a week.’’

‘’But the child will be here tonight!’’ the maid screeched and Kaen cursed Johan’s bad timing.

‘’Drink some calming tea,’’ he told the flustered woman, running out of the throne room, Ilia hot on his heels. He knew where he would find his brother-in-law; the birthing chamber had been erected in one of the guest rooms weeks ago, fashioned with fluffy pillows and comfortable furniture. A physician stood outside the room, nervously wringing out his hands, till he spotted Kaen and Ilia.

‘’My lord!’’ he ran to them, but to Kaen’s surprise he grasped Ilia’s hands, ‘’he’s calling for you! King Serafin says that if he cannot have Johan, he wants you to be there as he delivers his child,’’ he gushed, pulling him towards the doors, ‘’hurry, my lord! He must take the Valerian potion quickly.’’ Kaen moved to his husband, but the physician stopped him, ‘’I am sorry, my lord, but the less people, the better.’’

‘’I understand,’’ Kaen said, his throat dry, because he could see how terrified Ilia was to witness Serafin giving birth to his first child. He went to Ilia and kissed him quickly, but tenderly, ‘’I’ll wait up for you.’’

Ilia didn’t even argue with him, just hugged him quickly, ‘’thank you.’’

‘’You will be okay,’’ Kaen added, kissing him again, ‘’just hold his hand.’’

‘’Yes,’’ Ilia’s voice was high, panicked, as he was led into the birthing chamber with one last glance at Johan.

Serafin was propped up on his many pillows, his bright red hair that usually flicked up around his head like flames now plastered to his forehead with sweat. The fear in his eyes and his trembling lips made him look younger, although he was young anyway. And Serafin wasn’t scared because his long awaited child wasn’t with him but because, for all their fighting and tension, Johan wasn’t there. Ilia fell to his knees by the bed and Serafin turned to him, relief washing over his face, ‘’Ilia,’’ he whispered, voice breaking, ‘’I’m scared, I’m so scared…’’ his whole body flinched as a wave of pain washed over him. The child was ready to come out, and it was letting it be known.

‘’It’s okay. You’ll be fine,’’ Ilia didn’t know where the courage came from, but it did. He took Serafin’s hand tightly in both of his, pressing a kiss to the back of it, ‘’I’m here with you, and I won’t leave. I swear to you, I’m not going anywhere. You just sleep and when you wake up, your beautiful, perfect child will be waiting for you.’’

Serafin smiled at him gratefully through the tears gathered in his eyes. Even though Ilia was younger, he was the one taking care of him. He reached out to stroke his hair, fighting through his pain, as he whispered, ‘’you hold him first.’’

‘’How do you know it’s a boy?’’ Ilia asked quietly, cradling Serafin’s hands in his.

‘’I just know.’’ Serafin whispered, even though a voice clattered around his head – a soft, gentle female voice _– a son. You will have a son. A healthy, beautiful son_.

‘’Your majesty, we must start,’’ a physician said, a vial of purple liquid in her steady hands.

Ilia gave Serafin’s hand a reassuring squeeze and he squeezed back, before closing his black eyes and downing the potion. He did not open them again – in seconds, he was in deep sleep in which he would remain for hours, unfeeling of the pain that was about to rip his body in half. Ilia didn’t want to watch, but his eyes migrated to Serafin’s exposed, bulging stomach. Something was moving within, barely visible, and yet noticeable at the same time. Ilia stroked the hand of unconscious Serafin as the physicians prepared tools, waiting for Serafin to be well and truly asleep. Ilia flinched when he saw sharp knives, sterilised in hot water and herbs, and other wicked devices that belonged in a torture chamber, not the birthing room. Rozhin came in, quiet as a mouse and radiant as an angel, and gingerly picked up Serafin’s other hand.

When they cut into him, Ilia nearly dropped Serafin’s hand, but he managed to hold on. The three physicians, two women and one man – one of them an Omega – cut with calm precision, but Ilia watched in horror as they drew a careful line on the underside of Serafin’s stomach. Blood spurted out and Ilia finally looked away, pressing Serafin’s hand to his forehead and closing his eyes. He knelt there for three hours, and each second seemed to drain his energy. By the end not only his knees ached, but his eyes behind his eyelids, his fingers, his head, his limbs, his mouth, even his breathing… but when he heard the feeble cry of a newborn child it all seemed worth it, and he knew Rozhin felt the same. The Omega physician was wrapping a crying, pink thing into clean linens, but Ilia refused to let go of Serafin’s hand till the physicians stitched him back up. Ilia promised to hold the child first, so no one touched him, except for the Omega physician, into whose hands the child had slid into – but that didn’t really count.

‘’It’s done, my lord. A healthy baby boy; a Beta,’’ an exhausted physician finally said, ‘’he will wake when his body is ready.’’

Gently and extremely slowly, Ilia placed Serafin’s pale hand on the covers and stood on shaking legs. The physician passed him the child, now fast asleep. It was a boy, like Serafin had said. He was bright pink and ugly, like most newborns tended to be, with a mop of bright orange hair, a mix of Finn’s red and Johan’s gold. As Ilia stared at him, unable to grasp the concept that he held a new life in his arms, the boy opened his eyes. They were a colourless grey. Even though Serafin’s child was probably the ugliest thing Ilia had ever seen, at least for now, grateful tears fell from his eyes and splattered on the child’s cheeks, while the baby watched him curiously.

Outside, the Hafwen festival raged, fires burning high and bright like the child’s hair.

*~*~*

The sky was tinged pink with the slow arrival of the sun when Ilia finally found himself in his chambers, exhausted beyond belief. He returned home at the same time as the drunk revellers of the Hafwen festival, and Ilia couldn’t even bring himself to care that he had missed it, like most of the palace. He only spared a brief thought to the memory of the summer goddess’ festival a year prior, in which Kaen had hated Ilia, but they had danced together in the town, for the first time.

Even though it was dawn, Kaen had waited up, like he promised. Or maybe he’d slept and now he’d woken up, ‘’a healthy boy,’’ was all Ilia managed to say before he collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep even before Kaen managed to fully wrap his arms around him.

When he woke, the sun was setting again, and Ilia felt the displeasing feeling that he’d wasted a whole day sleeping. But then he remembered that Serafin had a child now, and he’d held him in his arms. He woke to Kaen lying opposite him, fully awake, staring at him with soft eyes and stroking his cheeks slowly, ‘’good evening,’’ he said with a smile.

‘’Kaen,’’ was all Ilia said, scooting closer so Kaen would cradle him in his arms.

‘’I’ve seen the child,’’ Kaen said quietly, stroking Ilia’s hair, ‘’you did a good job.’’

Ilia snorted tiredly into Kaen’s tunic, ‘’I didn’t do anything. I just held Finn’s hand.’’

‘’I think that was important,’’ Kaen whispered, kissing Ilia’s dark forehead, ‘’either way, Finn is thinking of names now.’’ He hesitated, before reaching under the covers to stroke Ilia’s stomach. The Moriyan prince tensed up, ‘’what shall we name ours?’’

‘’I don’t know, Kaen,’’ he said shortly, almost angrily, and rolled over, away from Kaen.

Kaen gently reached for him, hugging his small body from behind, ‘’you can’t pretend it doesn’t exist forever.’’

‘’I don’t want to talk about it.’’

Suddenly Ilia found himself being flipped over, Kaen hovering above him, pinning his wrists down to the bed, ‘’you don’t ever want to talk about it,’’ he said, ‘’but you have to. We’ve got to. We’re having a child, Ilia. We’re going to be a real family,’’ Kaen’s voice turned desperate as he lowered his head and pressed his forehead to Ilia’s shoulder, ‘’don’t you want to have a child with me?’’

Ilia took a deep breath, ‘’I wanted to,’’ he whispered, ‘’but now I don’t. Wait, no, that came out wrong. I mean I want to, but…gods, not now. Not when its uncle is going to be at war with it when it enters this earth, not when Johan hates me, especially not now that I’ve seen how it’s done…’’

‘’The baby will come around spring-time,’’ Kaen said quietly, ‘’we have a lot of time to think about it. We have a lot of time to fix everything.’’ He pulled back, gently releasing Ilia’s wrists, and cupped his face in his hands, kissing the tip of his nose, ‘’I love you.’’

‘’Me, too. So let’s not talk about it, alright?’’ Ilia nuzzled his nose against Kaen’s cheek, breathing him in, ‘’until I am ready, let’s not talk about our child.’’

*~*~*

Johan returned a week later, oblivious to the fact that he now had a son. That is, until someone informed him at the gates. Ilia was pacing outside of Serafin’s chambers, holding the baby in his arms. He wanted to give Serafin a little peace and quiet before the baby started crying again, but he seemed to be content in Ilia’s arms, staring up at him curiously. Over the week, the raw pinkness of his skin and the wrinkly flesh had faded away. The grey of his eyes gave way to Hyndestane blue, and his hair became even more vibrant, reminding Ilia of his favourite things – carrots, sunsets, and the Starflower, which only grew in Moriya. Now, the baby was beautiful, and small and sweet – he didn’t even cry that much. As Ilia walked the child up and down the corridor, bouncing him gently in his arms, he did not expect to see Johan, breathless and flushed, fly out of the doors and into the corridor.

Their eyes met and Ilia fought back the flinch that was his primary instinct. Johan stared at him for a little while, his eyes sweeping over him, stopping at the bundle in his arms. He took one slow step towards Ilia; then another. Before he knew what he was doing, he ran to him and stopped inches away, staring in disbelief at his son, like he hadn’t believed he was here till now. Silently, Ilia passed the child gently into his arms and departed, leaving father and son alone.

The baby stared at Johan with big, curious blue eyes. Then, satisfying his curiosity, he yawned, letting out a high pitched squeal and fell asleep in a matter of a second. Johan didn’t realise he was crying till the tears rolled down his chin. He cradled his son in his arms like he was the most precious thing in the world, carefully touching the spurt of orange hair with a calloused finger, his impossibly soft, chubby cheek, his tiny hand, with miniscule fingernails… He remained there with his son until he calmed down, before carefully pushing open the door to Serafin’s chamber.

When Serafin saw him, he burst into tears that threatened to make Johan cry again. He ran to his husband as briskly as he could without waking the sleeping child in his arms. He sat on the bed next to Finn, holding his son in one arm, and gathered his husband to him with the other. It didn’t matter to him that the child was a normal, standard Beta. All he cared about was that they had a child. Serafin pressed himself to Johan’s side as hard as he could without suffocating, his fingers curling into his tunic, and he cried. The weeks of tension, of sleeping on opposite sides of the bed, were forgotten, their son having brought them back together. Johan kissed Serafin carefully, and then harder, alternating between how much he wanted, desired, missed him, how his desperation for him had peaked, and how much he loved and appreciated him.

When they finally pulled away from each other, still enclosed in each other’s arms, and looked down at their sleeping child, ‘’did you think of a name?’’ Johan asked quietly.

‘’Ah, yes,’’ Serafin was equally quiet, ‘’but it’s Salarian…’’

‘’That doesn’t matter. You can name our son whatever you want.’’

‘’Then…’’ Serafin smiled, ‘’Celestine.’’

*~*~*  


A storm raged outside, loud and wild, the thunder echoing through the very rocks that formed the Moher Mountains. Safe and warm inside their caves, the bandits didn’t care.

Roshni Wolfhart was making a stew, even though dinner had been but two hours before.

Mayflower Santi was the cause of this; she was draped over the table in the dining cave, complaining about how hungry she was and pulling at Roshni’s braid playfully when she did not toss ingredients in quickly enough.

Wiss Blackwood and Dieu Mercier were in Dieu’s room. Wiss refused to share it, to tease Dieu, like he usually did, but today he gave himself. The rain and thunder masked his moans as he rutted his hips against his Mate, nestled in his lap.

Mido Winter was drafting a letter. Even though he was a bandit, he was still the son of a Duchess, and she deserved to know what was going in him.

Rai Darling was preparing to interrupt Mido’s writing with a well-timed prank.

Ryane Yantis was making her way down the caverns, a wooden board game tucked under her arm; she was heading towards the dining hall, where her girls no doubt were.

And Aris Hyndestane, fourth prince of Kainan, had somehow managed to convince Bane Santi, the King of Bandits, to be tied to the bed. Looking down at him, Aris understood why Bane got such a kick from tying him up sometimes – with his sculpted body on display, splayed on Aris’ bed like a feast, Aris could barely control himself. The confused furrow of Bane’s eyebrows above the bandana tied around his eyes, and the tight, nervous set of his mouth made him look adorable. He deserved it, anyway; he was the one who sauntered into Aris’ room, wanting his attention. Now he would get it. Tugging off his tunic, Aris straddled Bane’s hips. He leaned down and bit his ear gently. Bane’s body tensed with the need to touch him, and he tugged on the leather straps Aris had used to tie him to the bed.

‘’I-I really don’t like this,’’ Bane said nervously, ‘’I’d rather see you.’’

‘’Relax,’’ Aris grinned against his ear, ‘’it’s only me.’’ He didn’t let Bane respond, kissing him to shut him up, ‘’just tell me if you don’t like something,’’ he tilted his head to press a stream of kisses to the hot skin of his neck.

‘’I like everything you do to me,’’ Bane growled with a feral smile, and grunted when Aris bit down hard on his skin. He licked over the cut, tasting a droplet or two of blood.

‘’Sorry. I bit too hard,’’ he kissed the bite mark apologetically.

‘’I guess this is revenge.’’ Bane said, half-laughing, half-groaning, when Aris kissed down his chest, biting one of his nipples playfully before going further down, to his prominent, thick erection. Here, he hesitated. As much as he liked punishing Bane, he hadn’t really done this before. Still, he knew how Bane did it, so he experimentally licked the tip, already leaking pre-cum. He was surprised to find it tasted good, a little salty. But then again that probably had something to do with being Bane’s mate. He slid his mouth over the hot erection, feeling as it slid down slowly down his throat. It was definitely weird, feeling it down there, but good, too. He liked knowing that he was causing Bane pleasure, and he knew he was, because Bane groaned and tugged on the restraints.

Too quickly Aris’ mouth grew tired, so he finished with his hand, before straddling Bane’s hips again. This time, he slid himself slowly down onto Bane’s length, hands pressed against his hard, muscular stomach. He was glad for the blindfold on Bane’s hazel eyes, because he was blushing brightly and in this position, he was fully exposed, ‘’damn, Aris…’’ Bane growled, and begun pulling on the restraints, unable to keep from touching Aris any longer.

With Bane half inside him, Aris cried out, ‘’Bane, don’t-‘’ Too late. The leather snapped free under Bane’s strength and sprung away from his wrists. The Bandit King ripped the bandana off his eyes, which were filled with desire. Aris groaned as Bane grabbed his hips harshly and slammed him down all the way, ‘’bastard, that hurt…’’ Aris lied, because the little spikes of pain were nothing compared to the pleasure that built up suddenly in his stomach, threatening to spill any second.

Bane wasn’t listening to him, burying his face in Aris’ silver hair, which had grown out, falling into his eyes and curling at the nape of his neck, ‘’Aris…Aris…’’ Bane’s breath was hot on his ear as he thrust upwards, urging Aris to move. The Omega obliged, rocking his hips, moans pressing against his lips. He clamped them shut, as punishment for Bane breaking the restraints, and came silently, shivering against Bane, his fingers scratching mindlessly at his broad back. They fell apart like a shattered vase, practically on top of each other, breathing hard and sweating. Outside, fire rumbled.

‘’You’re an idiot,’’ Aris told him, eyes closed, a satisfied grin on his face.

‘’You were good,’’ Bane replied gently, rolling onto his side to press kisses to his shoulder. Aris flushed. It was those gentle touches that got him in a state, more than the sex, in which he could act cocky and dominant. Even so, he didn’t hate them – quite the contrary. He allowed Bane to kiss up and down his spine, holding his hips in his large hands. Finally he stood, and found his clothes on the floor, dressing quickly. The room was stuffy with the warmth of the fireplace and the air thick with the smell of their lovemaking, so he went to his moonglass window to open it.

And stopped.

In the impenetrable darkness of a stormy night, a single flickering torch of fire burned just in front of the line of trees. And something within Aris suddenly clenched up, calling for him to go to whoever was out there, issuing a silent call to the bandits, ‘’Bane…’’ his mate was at his side in a second, staring out at the torch, which spurted and went out. The urgency to find the person grew in Aris, and Bane was already getting dressed.

*~*~*

It was a child. That was the first thing Aris realised as he approached the body lying face-down in the muddy ground of the forest below the caves. A child of five years old. Bane rushed to the body, checking for a pulse, nodding in confirmation. The torch that had been extinguished by the fire fell limply from his pale fingers. He was maybe five years old, small and chubby, with matter silver hair that marked him as an Omega. His clothes were torn and hung off him in strips, but the most horrifying thing was the scars.  They crisscrossed up his arms in a scatter of white lines, like someone had carved the pattern into his skin with a knife to kill boredom. There was a light scatter of freckles against his pale face, too. Bane looked at Aris, once, before throwing off the cloak he’d brought with him and wrapping the unconscious child in it.

*~*~*

Bane and Aris left the child with May, Ryane and Roshni to be washed and when they entered the dining cavern, the child was awake. He had eyes like molten steel, matching his hair, but they were not haunted, did not reflect the horrors that his body told. They were bright, full of hope and childish wonder as he stared around the cave, while simultaneously scarfing down the stew Roshni made for May. Bane and Aris went to the child, but Ryane sprouted out, and spoke quietly, ‘’he’s from the canyon.’’

Aris’ blood ran cold, ‘’but that can’t be true! That place is reserved for the worst criminals.’’

‘’And their children, apparently,’’ Ryane looked resentful, but not towards Aris.

‘’What’s his name?’’ Bane asked, breaking the tense silence.

‘’They didn’t bother giving him one,’’ Ryane said bitterly, wrapping her arms around herself, ‘’he says they call him ‘boy’, or ‘Omega bastard’, when it comes to it. He says his dad is dead and his other dad is ‘the big scary man with the whippy’’’.

Bane flinched, ‘’an overseer raped a worker?’’

‘’Most likely. He doesn’t remember much,’’ Ryane glanced at the boy, ‘’he’s only five, after all, and it took him a good year to get here. After all, he’s come across the country. I’m guessing he heard of the rebellion led by you, the Bandit King, all those years ago and knew he’d be able to seek sanctuary here. How he escaped, I have no idea,’’ Ryane rubbed her face, tired and aggravated, ‘’we have to take him in.’’

‘’That wasn’t even a question in the first place,’’ Aris surprised himself, and the other two, by saying this, and quickly walked up to the eating child, who was being fussed over by Roshni. Now that his hair was washed, it fell around his face in fluffy silver waves and his freckles were even more prominent in the candlelight, scattered across his nose like a constellation, ‘’you don’t have a name, do you?’’ he asked out of the blue.

The boy did not answer, tilting his head to the side, ‘’silver,’’ he muttered, confused as to why Aris’ hair was the same colour as his.

‘’Ah, yes,’’ Aris brushed his hair self-consciously and the boy reached out. Hesitantly, Aris bowed his head and let the boy pat it with a chubby hand. He patted his in response and the child gave him a bright smile.  

‘’I don’t have a name,’’ the boy finally answered, scraping his bowl clean with a wedge of bread.

‘’Didn’t your daddy give you one? The nice one?’’ Bane asked, coming over.

‘’He wasn’t nice. He was just less bad than the other one,’’ the child said with conviction, pointing at Bane, ‘’you’re the Bandit King. Some of the nice people at camp said I had to find you.’’

Bane stared at him with so much softness in his eyes that Aris knew he would never let anything happen to this child, ‘’how old are you?’’ the boy held up five fingers, ‘’I’m Bane. This is Aris, my mate. You’ve met the girls, already.’’

‘’Yes,’’ the boy piped up happily, ‘’Rosh, May and Ry.’’ He said, shortening the names of the girls, probably unable to remember them.

‘’Merin,’’ Aris said suddenly, ‘’do you like the sound of that?’’

The boy blinked at him, and then grinned, showing a few gaps where his teeth had fallen out, ‘’yeah!’’

‘’Okay,’’ Aris glanced at Bane for confirmation; the King looked stunned, and now he was looking at Aris with those soft eyes, ‘’that will be your name from now on,’’ a perfect name for a child who made it across the country by himself to find the bandits – a child strong beyond his years. An Omega as strong as only one other Aris had known, the one he named him for – Merina Decasare.

*~*~*

A voyage two months long would make anyone sick of the sea, and Mihai hoped he would stay in Kainan long enough to be able to make the journey back to Asakura without being driven crazy. He was surprised how different Kainan felt after a year in Asakura – it smelled different, the weather was different, everyone spoke Kai…it felt good but it didn’t feel like home anymore. Since Queensport had not been rebuilt yet, Mihai landed in Naha, the town of dolls, and had to endure a two day ride to the palace. He didn’t blame his siblings for not coming to greet him – they had their hands full with the preparations for the celebration.

When Mihai saw the towering palace and the bright, loud, colourful streets of Queensbane his heart swelled with nostalgia and happiness. He could barely keep still as his carriage rattled through the streets and through the palace gates. Not much had changed since Mihai left and he had to remind himself that Johan had been a King for a year now. Taking a deep breath to calm his excitement, Mihai flicked his silver braid over his shoulder and adjusted his clothes. He’d worn Kai clothes for the first time in forever, and they didn’t feel right anymore.

His family had gathered in the courtyard along with the court, and Kaen didn’t even wait for him to step out of the carriage fully before he was running at him and sweeping him up into a hug. Mihai laughed, clinging to his second oldest brother, till he was set down on the ground. Even then, he remained hugging him tightly, ‘’Kaen…Kaen…’’ he whispered into his chest. He’d promised himself he’d keep the tears at bay, but now they filled his eyes. Once he managed to pull himself away from Kaen, he ran for Johan, who caught him easily in his arms and kissed his forehead. He felt strong now, but sadder, somehow. More somber. More like their father had been.

His mother pulled him into her arms, ‘’Mihai…my silver boy,’’ she wept into his shoulder. She still wore black. Out of all her children, Magnon had suffered the loss of Mihai the most – he had been the favourite child, the obedient child, the gentle child, while Elentina had been rebellious, Aris had been wild and Kaen had been snobby. But they’d all grown out of these traits, or morphed them into something different; Mihai certainly wasn’t all that obedient anymore.

He embraced Jhoka, who had been his tutor, governess and nurse maid ever since he could remember, and Rehan, whose hug was strong despite his thin, short build. He cried out with joy when he sighted Rozhin, thankfully without her wretched mother, and littered her dainty face with kisses. Kaen brought over his husband, whom Mihai had only heard of in letters, and he was astounded at how beautiful he was, ‘’Mihai, this is Ilia. Ilia, the Emperor of Asakura.’’

Ilia bowed his head, but Mihai waved that away, ‘’oh, please, none of that. We’re brothers now!’’ he threw his arms around Ilia and, although a little startled, the Moriyan prince grinned and hugged him back. Serafin appeared, carrying baby Celestine in his arms, and after a short, happy introduction of the two, Mihai took the baby into his arms, ‘’oh, isn’t he beautiful! Hello, Celestine. Hello, little Cel. I’m your uncle, Mihai. It’s nice to meet you,’’ he gushed. He switched so he could hold him with one arm, and touch his stomach with his other, ‘’that’s your cousin in there. Soon you will meet,’’ he promised.

Eventually everyone swept back into the castle, his family gushing over his growing stomach, unable to stop from stroking his hair and holding his hands to reassure themselves that he was really back home. But Mihai was already missing Shay.


	28. The Four Generals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYSSSS ENJOY THE CHAPTAH THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stella_Cruz - thank you girl, I hope your exams went well, good luck with the oncoming ones!!! Haha, yeah, I'm not really a fan of changing the man's biology completely so he has like a tube and everything and kind of...gives birth through his ass, which is manky? So, yeah, it's always C-section with my Omegaverse fics ;p Yes, Stella, have your breakfast at 12 pm, don't abide to the rules!!!!
> 
> zef & Alna_King - hahaha, I love how y'all interact xD If we're like all sisters-in-fanfic, then SeamoreRed is the big sis, Stella & I are middle, and you two are the youngest twins xD Oh, and Alna, yess, be my Ilia, I'm dyed blonde so I'll be your Johan ;) I'm glad you liked the song!
> 
> Anyway, thank you, you three & SeamoreRed & everyone else who commented and showed support. You guys are my world. Enjoy the chappie!

As Queen of Sahr, Elentina had not changed, at least in personality. By now Johan had gotten used to family arriving left, right and centre, all day every day, but he was nervously awaiting the arrival of his siblings; especially Aris, who he prayed could escape the clutches of the Bandit King for even one day. The day after Mihai, Carena came (much to Johan’s displeasure) but she was sweet as an over-ripe plum. Heba arrived a day after, grumpy and brooding as always – Johan put it down to the cold weather at Aldhard. He decided he definitely had enough of his grandmother for a month, what with him seeing her each day even when he chose to stay in a tent at the war camps. Then came the royal families, from all over the country – usually, only a handful of the closest ones to the crown arrived for the festival, but the name giving ceremony of their future king was the most important event of the century.

Aelia Dairmuid, the last of her house and the Duchess of Angelus arrived as the first of the nobles, sword bumping against her legs. She wore trousers and a tunic like a man, her red hair cut short and snippy, her green eyes almost always narrowed suspiciously. Despite being only twenty four, she had been made Captain of the City Watch in the last year of his father’s reign, and Johan had kept her in that position, not because they had grown up riding and play-fighting together, but because she was reliable and agile.

Frida and Eydis Llaw arrived from Ashta with their eleven year old daughter, Asta, eager to show her off. They had always been a vain family. Their light brown skin gave away their diluted Moriyan origin, although they always argued with whoever would listen that they were descendants of the Hyndestanes. A real, born and bred, second generation Moriyan family were the Cassiopeias of Marseline. Their parents had passed away, but their children arrived together – Rozhin, three years younger than Johan and the current Duchess of Marseline, Mael, twenty years of age and the twins; Aurea and Loic. Even though only the last two were twins, their dark brown skin and black hair made it hard for anyone to tell them apart. And then came the real descendants of the first Hyndestane monarchs; namely Dunstan Gwydion, heir to Damascus, eighteen years of age. The only thing that marked him as anything relatively close to the Hyndestanes was his dull blond hair.

As more noble families arrived, Johan stopped counting them.

And then Elentina came.

She arrived without a large entourage, without…anything, really, except Nav. It had been the shock of Johan’s life. Here he was, walking down the corridor, and there she was, jumping through a window, dressed similarly to Captain Aelia, Nav hot on her heels, swinging himself over the ledge uncertainly. Elentina landed neatly on the floor, her dark brown hair braided down the length of her spine, her eyes clear and bright, her grin wide. She whirled around, sensing someone’s presence and saw Johan, rooted to the spot with shock. She screamed in joy and ran to him, jumping up, how she’d done so many times when Johan had been angry and her hugs were the only thing that could persuade him to forgive her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wound her legs around his waist, raining kisses on his stunned face, ‘’oh, Johan, I’ve missed you! You’re not angry, are you? It’s so good to be home!’’

Finally, Johan’s mouth broke into a grin and he swung her round, hugging her tightly, ‘’why the hell did you come through the window?’’ he laughed, setting her down.

‘’We were trying to avoid aunt Carena, whose standing outside, on watch,’’ Elentina said with a grin, spinning round to grab Nav’s hand. She pulled him forward. Her stomach, in which Sava’s child grew, was barely visible through the loose tunic she wore. Johan’s eyes turned to her new husband. He looked as shy and uncertain as ever, despite the fact that he was King consort. Johan extended his hand to Nav, to show he was not angry, at least not at that moment, and Nav clasped it gratefully.

‘’I’m glad you’ve arrived safely,’’ he said earnestly to both of them, ‘’come, you must see my son.’’

Elentina happily followed him down the well known corridors. She turned her head left and right in admiration, like she was trying to soak in the view of the old walls. As they turned the corner, they bumped straight into a certain Moriyan prince, ‘’Ilia!’’ Elentina cried, throwing her arms over his shoulders. They had known each other for a short while before her departure, but they had profoundly enjoyed being dramatic together.

‘’Ah, you’ve arrived!’’ Ilia hugged her back briefly, but before he could say more she dropped her hands to his stomach, ‘’Kaen didn’t tell me! He never writes to me! You’re with child!’’ she gasped, touching her own stomach, ‘’me, too!’’ Johan watched Nav’s reaction, but he seemed to just be happy that Elen was happy, even if the child was not his. But Ilia backed away from her hand, touching his clearly visible stomach protectively.

‘’Yes.’’ He said tightly.

Elentina frowned, but just then Kaen appeared at the end of the corridor and Ilia was forgotten as they ran to embrace each other. Later, she was finally introduced to Celestine, the little ginger baby who was practically stuck to Serafin, who couldn’t get enough of his tiny son. After exchanging quick kisses with Finn himself, Elentina lifted the child into her own arms, ‘’hi,’’ she beamed at him while he watched her with a curious expression, like he watched every new face. She touched the tip of his nose with her finger, ‘’I’m Elentina, your godmother. You look like a little carrot on fire, don’t you?’’ she angled the baby towards Nav, ‘’and this is your uncle, Nav.’’

Celestine reached out to Nav, drawn in by his light brown skin, like he was drawn in by Ilia’s. Nav hesitantly took the child into his arms, careful to hold him right, and smiled when Cel reached out to pat his hand against his cheek. Johan smiled. For the first time in months, he felt complete.

*~*~*

The naming ceremony took place the next day, and Aris wasn’t there yet. Johan tried not to worry as he and Finn walked past the multitude of nobles gathered in the temple to celebrate the birth of their new king. Outside the temple, the people of Queensbane flocked to the gates, to catch a glimpse of the ‘little carrot on fire’. There were seven priestesses for the seven First gods – Gordain, the first God; Bela, the goddess of destruction and new beginning, who was there when Gordain ripped the universe apart to create the world; Seabright, the god of the Oceans that flooded the earth as soon as Gordain created the world; Malaya, the goddess of freedom, who had been around for as long as there had been captivity; Bergen, the first nature god, who had fallen asleep aeons ago to let his two daughters take over his job; Ayodeji, the goddess of joy; and Thalia, the goddess of birth and the sun, the two primal things.

Johan couldn’t help a flutter of happiness in his heart, as the priestesses step forward, anointing him with the seven oils, chanting ancient incantations as they did so. Once the ceremony was over, Johan and Serafin and Cel were put in a carriage and rode to the city square, where Johan stood on the podium in front of thousands of silent, expectant people and raised his child high for everyone to see, as he proclaimed, ‘’Celestine Vilmaris Hyndestane, the first of his name, future King of Kainan!’’

The people exploded in a cheer that the gods above could have heard, as the bells of the temples rang seven times for his son.

*~*~*

The naming ceremony was the grandest event ever held at the castle. There were so many guests that the party spilled out onto the garden, where additional tables of refreshments and fae-lights had been put up. While everyone celebrated, Johan sat around the side table, engaged in conversation with the most important people in the nation, ‘’Moriya is out of control. It is high time we get this war over with.’’

Magnon nodded, ‘’yes, but what will you do then? It will be hard to rule a hostile country half-way across the world.’’

‘’I won’t be ruling it.’’

Aelia Dairmuid caught on first. She was dressed smartly, but she had refused to put on a gown; since they were children, Johan didn’t think he’d seen her wearing a dress, ‘’you’re thinking about installing the Moriyan prince on the throne,’’ she said in a hushed tone.

‘’If possible. But I need to know first if the country is not hostile to Ilia, too. Installing him there would be pointless if there’d be a mutiny against him.’’ He turned to the girl next to him. She was young, barely sixteen, but one of the most cunning people Johan knew, ‘’Eva, I want to name you the Head of Espionage, if you will take the title.’’

Eva Fade angled her head, ‘’gladly, your majesty. I take it you want me to find out just that; if the young prince will be able to hold the throne?’’

Johan smiled a little, ‘’with your colouring, it should be no problem to blend into Moriya. But don’t tell your sisters. This conversation must not leave the table.’’

‘’How will you go about this war?’’ Magnon prompted.

Johan leaned forward, lowering his voice, ‘’this is why I have called you all here. Captain Eyrie, you will care for the navy, I presume,’’ Captain Eyrie, who had finally made it from her wars with the pirates, nodded. She was a strong woman of twenty seven and Johan believed in her. He turned to Galahad Vainamonen, the young heir to Golgata, one of the four general gathered around the table ‘’Gal, I want  you to oversee the training at Perth, and be ready at a moment’s  notice for an attack, or defence.’’

Gal bowed his head, ‘’when do you want me station there, my lord?’’

‘’As soon as possible,’’ Johan turned to Loic Corentin and his sister, Aurea, ‘’Loic, you will take command of the soldiers stationed in Ashta; Aurea, you will be responsible for the military base on the Hyuuga island.’’

‘’Yes, my lord,’’ she said, while Loic nodded curtly.

Finally he turned to Nydia Halides, heir to Salaam, ‘’and you will command the army stationed in Rethymon. The country must be ready,’’ he met the eyes of every person at the table, ‘’but we must prepare it discreetly.’’

*~*~*

Serafin wasn’t crazy – he swore he saw something jumping up and down at the corner of his vision, and someone was – namely, Caomhán, Kay’s young apprentice. Excusing himself politely from a conversation he’d been dragged into, Finn casually strolled over to the bush behind which Cao was hiding, holding the sleeping Cel in his arms, ‘’aren’t you supposed to be asleep by now, young lord?’’ Finn raised an eyebrow as Cao grinned up at him.

‘’I wanted to see the baby!’’ Caomhán whispered with all the seriousness of an eight year old. Serafin knelt down on one knee; it was surprising how light he felt without Cel in his body. He angled the baby towards Cao, who gasped in delight, ‘’his name is Celestine.’’

‘’He looks like a carrot!’’ Cao exclaimed and Celestine woke up, blinking his blue eyes at the boy, ‘’whoa, his eyes are so pretty! Can I hold him?’’ Finn made Cao sit down patiently on the grass and put Cel in his lap. Cao was a small boy, but he managed to hold Cel properly, ‘’hi!’’ he said in a hushed tone, excited, ‘’I’m Caomhán. You probably don’t remember, but we spoke when you were in the King’s stomach. We’re going to be best friends,’’ he added with conviction.

Finn smiled and ruffled Caomhán’s hair, ‘’I’m sure you will.’’

*~*~*

Having finished his meeting, Johan was enjoying himself, speaking with people he had not seen since they were children. That is, until the music suddenly stopped and a herald announced a pair of newcomers in a loud, confused, nervous voice, ‘’Prince Aris Loic, and Bane Santi, the King of Bandits.’’

The crowd gasped as one, and when the doors opened and Aris strolled in, Bane in toll, the ballroom was silent. Johan felt as if he’d been punched in the gut; all breath went out of him. Serafin’s hand appeared at his elbow, squeezing it to steady him. Aris looked…different. Confident, with longer hair and tanned skin, wearing bandit leather. And he’d brought his mate with him. Bane looked impassive, if handsome, in what Johan imagined were his best clothes. Clucking her tongue loudly in the silence, Jhoka hurried across the ballroom to instruct the band to keep playing. As the music was struck up again, the nobles quickly returned to their conversations, pretending like they hadn’t been staring, and continuing to stare still.

Elentina broke out of her shock first. She ran across the room, her skirts swishing with the speed, and pulled Aris into a fierce, bone-crushing hug. Aris held on tight to the one person who had always understood him completely, and utterly. They looked different, but insides they could have been halves of the same person. She pulled back enough to cup his face in her hands, to make sure he is real, before hugging him again. Then, suddenly, she shoved him out of the way and raised her fist, going straight for Bane’s face. But Aris decided Bane had gotten enough Hyndestane punches to last him a life time, so he caught Elen’s wrist, ‘’Elen, it’s okay. It’s alright.’’

‘’It’s not okay,’’ Elentina growled, voice dripping with rage, ‘’he…he…you bastard, I’m going to kill you.’’

‘’Elentina, he’s my _mate_ ,’’ Aris turned her to him and she crumpled.

‘’He took you,’’ she blinked back tears, ‘’I didn’t even get to say goodbye to you.’’

Aris smiled at her and stroked her hair, ‘’I know, but trust me, I’ve punished him enough for that. And look at you; a Queen! Who would have thought. And with child, too.’’

She gripped his hand, ‘’you will be the godfather, won’t you.’’

‘’Of course.’’ Aris grinned and pulled her back against him, ‘’I’ve missed you.’’

The rest of the family finally reached the three of them. Mihai fell into Aris, but he did not burst into tears, like Aris expected him to. He’d changed more than Aris could phantom, but his hugs were still the best in the world. When Magnon came, in tears, to finally embrace her youngest son after a year, Mihai moved on to Bane. He looked him up and down with a sweet smile, and extended his hand for a kiss, ‘’hello. I am Mihai.’’

He was surprised when Bane clasped his forearm instead, but it sent a thrill up his body that you only get from doing bad things, with bad people, ‘’Bane.’’ The Bandit King grinned, revealing a dimple that made him look less threatening.

‘’Mihai, stop looking at him like he’s a different species,’’ Aris told him with a laugh. He was embracing Johan now, who was glaring at Bane over his shoulder. He hadn’t forgotten their scuffle in the forest.

‘’But he is!’’ Mihai protested, grabbing his hand as Johan stepped back from Aris, to let Kaen embrace him. While Aris was distracted, Mihai pulled Bane towards the dance floor, ‘’come, let’s dance.’’

‘’Um…’’ Bane looked uncertain, but he was shown no mercy by the Omega. His movements were unpractised, used to fighting not dancing, and a little clumsy but it made Mihai laugh so he supposed it was alright. He felt the stares of hundreds of people on his back, and he wondered why he’d let Aris talk him into coming. He found his mate with his eyes across the room, where he was admiring his nephew. His cheeks were flushed and he was grinning wildly, and it made Bane realise that no matter what, he was glad he came.

After Mihai dragged him over every corner of the dance-floor, Bane went to find Aris, but he bumped into someone else instead. A short, beautiful boy with dark skin and golden eyes, staring at him curiously. He was pregnant, too, and Bane felt a twinge of regret – it was as if everybody was having children, except for them, ‘’you were there that day,’’ he said, approaching the boy, ‘’you’re the one with the stick.’’

‘’It’s a staff,’’ the boy pried himself off the column he was leaning on, ‘’I’m Ilia, second prince of Moriya.’’

‘’Royalty again, huh?’’

Ilia shrugged, like he couldn’t care less, ‘’barely. Being Moriyan during times of war makes the people as hostile to me as they are to you,’’ he smirked, ‘’although I suppose they have reason not to trust you.’’

‘’Maybe I have reason not to trust you, either,’’ Bane crossed his arms over his chest, ‘’I think I might have heard something about an assassin conspiracy and a Moriyan prince.’’

Ilia smiled, but it was tighter now, and he patted Bane’s arm as he walked past him, ‘’you shouldn’t listen to everything you hear. Kai people like to gossip.’’

Bane found Aris still with the child, unfortunately with Johan, too. As soon as Bane approached, the King tensed, and took his child from Aris’ hand gently. The red haired King next to him glanced up at Bane in fear, and Bane knew he’d only be able to be around these people for long enough to fetch Aris, ‘’I wanted to ask if you wanted to dance,’’ he said tightly to Aris.

Overwhelmed by the hostile atmosphere towards his mate, Aris grabbed Bane’s hand, ‘’yes, a dance sound great,’’ he pulled Bane away from prying eyes, into one of the darker corners. The nobles were slowly and steadily getting drunk; soon they’d forget all about Bane and Aris, but for now, Aris put his hand on Bane’s shoulder, keeping the other locked on Bane’s hand. He was looking out at the dancers, carefully scanning them, just in case.

Bane’s large, warm hand slid onto his hip, ‘’hey. Look at me.’’ He said softly and Aris turned to him just in time to catch a well placed kiss.

‘’I’m sorry about this. But I can’t lie; I did expect it,’’ Aris said apologetically, ‘’I still wanted you to be here, though.’’

‘’It’s alright,’’ Bane assured, ‘’you’re siblings aren’t half bad, especially the other Omega. And,’’ he leaned closer, ‘’I wouldn’t pass up on an opportunity to dance with you.’’

Aris blushed and pulled himself closer, so he could lean against Bane’s shoulder, and sway gently to the music.

*~*~*

They were drunk off their heads; all of them, except for a few, like Serafin who had long since taken Celestine upstairs, and Heba, who was preparing herself to drag everyone to bed. The musicians struck up merry tune after merry tune and those brave enough to venture onto the dance-floor were twirling wildly, laughing their heads off. Servants kept bringing more wine and ale for the hungry throats of the nobles. And, by some weird stroke of luck, Bane ended up at one table with the Hyndestanes, ‘’I’m gowing to kill youuuu~’’ Elentina proclaimed, picking up a mug of ale. She was a weak drinker, and she kept it to a minimum because of the child; even so, she’d gotten drunk after a cup and a half.  Tonight, it was fine. The Kings and Queens could get drunk and celebrate, ‘’fwight me!’’ Elentina slurred.

‘’I will!’’ Bane said loudly, and hiccupped. He was bright red in the face and his hair was dishevelled, ‘’I will fwight you and I will come out…w…w…’’ he hiccupped again, picking up his goblet, ‘’wicktorious.’’

‘’Yes!’’ Elentina raised her mug, ‘’die, you bastard…’’ she said, followed by a string of slurred Sahrian words. Bane bumped his goblet against her mug and they drunk the contents.

Aris, who had been giggling with Ilia, who hadn’t drunk at all, for the past hour, agitating Bane with the soft sound of his laugh, finally turned to pay Bane attention. He, too, was red and drunk. He placed his elbow on the table between them, and extended his hand to Bane, ‘’let’s wrestle!’’ he proclaimed happily. Unable to find the right words, with a sluggish mind, Bane grabbed Aris’ hand and brought it to his lips. He begun kissing each finger. After five seconds of confused silence, Aris’ slurred words reached him, ‘’noooo…I said wrestle…we need to…wrestle…’’

‘’We are wrestling,’’ Bane said confidently, kissing his wrist.

Aris tilted his head, confused. His eyes were glaze over, ‘’are we?’’

‘’Yes.’’

Mihai slid onto the bench next to Elentina. He hadn’t drunk at all, and now looked miserable, ‘’I miss him,’’ he proclaimed.

‘’Whooo?’’ Bane sing-songed, continuing to kiss Aris’ hand.

‘’Shay,’’ Mihai sighed heavily, ‘’my husband,’’ he added, because Bane wouldn’t have known who it was.

Bane reached across Elen’s back with his free hand to mess up Mihai’s silver hair, ‘’hey, I know how ya feel.’’

‘’I’m right here, though, you barnacle,’’ Aris laughed and Bane nuzzled his nose against his wrist lovingly.

Elen draped an arm around his shoulders, ‘’cheer up, little bwother!’’ she called, ‘’it will all get better! _Hey, when the sun shines bright as Moriyan sand, we’ll go, merry drinking hand in hand…_ ’’ she sang off-key.

‘’It’s dance. We’ll go dancing,’’ Mihai laughed, but he still looked a little miserable. Nav appeared out of nowhere, completely sober, and looked at the mess that was Elentina in dismay.

Bane finally set down Aris’ hand, ‘’I win!’’ he proclaimed.

‘’C-cheater,’’ Aris hiccupped.

Ilia leaned his head on his shoulder and they laughed together. When they calmed down, Ilia pried himself away from Aris and went to sit on Kaen’s lap. Kaen, as always, was the sulky drunk, but Ilia quickly got rid of the dark cloud above his head with a few well placed, happy, loving kisses.

*~*~*

Heba stared at the mess that was the ballroom, hands on hips. The guests had gone overboard and in the soft, early morning sun, they woke up, half-naked in the gardens and on the floors, with skull-crushing headaches. Jhoka and Magnon joined the Duchess and together, they prepared to clean up the mess.

*~*~*

Aris awoke in his old bed, in his old room, which remained untouched. Despite feeling at home in the caves, he had missed the breezy, open spaces. He wondered briefly how he got here, before spotting Bane, who was getting dressed. He looked fine, so Aris supposed he’d sobered up late into the night. Yawning and stretching, Aris sat up, and the covers fell from his naked body. He looked down, startled, at the numerous love bites that littered his body, neck to toe. When he looked up at Bane accusingly, the Bandit King was grinning, ‘’I’m never having wine again.’’

*~*~*

Kaen expected a horrible headache, but was pleasantly surprised to wake up to Ilia stroking his face gently with his fingertips, as if he was making the pain go away, ‘’good morning, my prince,’’ he breathed.

‘’I love you.’’ Kaen responded, leaning into his touch.

*~*~*

‘’What are you looking at, hmm? You find daddy interesting?’’ Johan cooed at Celestine, raised in his arms as he lay on the bed. The baby was staring at him with big blue eyes, while Serafin watched, still bundled in the covers, a loving smile on his lips. Johan lowered the baby till their noses touched, ‘’what’s that, little one? You’re wondering if you could maybe have a brother or a sister?’’ he turned to grin at Serafin, ‘’you’re going to have to ask your other daddy.’’

Serafin laughed and propped himself up on his elbow to kiss Johan, ‘’how about letting daddy rest for a little, huh?’’

‘’Of course,’’ Johan pulled Serafin against his child, and lay Cel on his chest, where the baby curled up under his large hand and was sound asleep in seconds, ‘’anything for you, my love.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know loads of you were waiting for this, I hope I didn't dissapoint!!!


	29. The Ocean's Defence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYSSS! Thank you so so so much for all the comments & kudos & bookmarks & views!!! Especially my sisters-in-fanfic ;)

Magnon Artoir, Queen Mother to the King of Kainan, sat at the table and her heart swelled with love. It had been long – too long – since she had all her children at the table with her, to eat a relaxing breakfast. She didn’t even mind that Bane was there. Yes, they had unfinished business, and he definitely deserved a harsh slap, if not a punch, but Magnon was sure that was delivered by Aris. She had been prepared to find that Bane was a complete brute, and yet…he seemed gentler, kinder, than even Johan or Kaen. And, strangely enough, Aris was fond of him. Magnon didn’t think she’d live to see Aris accept someone as a lover, and more. She sipped her tea and glanced around the table.

Mihai, her poor silver boy, was doing his best to keep up a conversation with Elentina, but Magnon knew heartache when she saw it. Even with blasting head-aches from the drinking the previous night, his siblings were in better mood than him. He stroked his stomach sub-consciously, no doubt thinking of his husband, across the sea; Magnon would have wanted to meet this Shay that Mihai seemed to adore so much. Her eyes ventured further, to Serafin and Johan, who seemed more in love than ever. Magnon had thought she had mothered as much children as she was capable of, and yet in just a short year Finn managed to dig a hole in the defences around her heart that sprung up with Odion’s death, and now was nestled safely next to her other children in her heart. The little ginger joy in his arms broke down those walls completely, filling the void left after her husband. Now that she was a grandmother to one child, she was ready to be one to numerous others – and she soon would be, by the sights of it.

As a mother, Magnon also knew typical behaviour of a person in denial. As sub-consciously as Mihai stroking his stomach, protecting it, Ilia hunched over his, hiding it from view. Magnon smiled under her nose. Hadn’t she been the same? Nineteen years old, arriving at the palace all the way from Aldhard, as hard and guarded inside as outside, with her furs and chain mail, unlike a court lady at all. They had all sniggered at the future Queen, at the toughness she carried herself with, which was vital in the North, where everything was barren wasteland or war camps. But the sun had quickly melted off her heavy, protective clothing and Odion’s easy smile, that Johan had inherited, melted her defences. Within months of their wedding, she had been pregnant, and angry about it. Back then, she fought with the Captain of the Guard each day, practicing her footwork, while five year old Kay who was to inherit the position watched with wide eyes. A child was a hindrance to her, and she’d hid it, tried to make it go away, and tried to make Odion less pleased about having it.

And then Johan was born and as soon as she laid eyes on him, she knew she could never give him up. In time, Magnon grew from a warrior into a politic, and Odion from a carefree young man into a King. Many days, his duties duped his love for Magnon, and all she had was her first son. He was such a joy that when the four other came, she was nothing but joyful. And Ilia would be, too, hopefully. It was almost comical how much they reassembled her marriage from twenty seven years ago – Ilia crumpled and in denial, Kaen casting him long, loving, longing glances every once in a while, holding his hand under the table.

Then there was Nav. Sweet, shy Nav who could barely wield a sword but had stolen Elentina’s warrior heart, inherited from her mother, so swiftly and easily. Magnon had to give him credit for that. It was a good balance – someone to ground Elen, to keep her steady and focused and ready in times of great need, to counter-act her base instinct and wild side. And, even with another man’s child growing inside her, his devotion was obvious. Undoubtedly, he would be a good father to Sava’s child. Magnon’s smile grew as she watched Elentina talk excitedly about how Mahala, the late King’s sister, was proxy for her when she was gone and how they had to sneak into port, and pretend they were commoners to travel for safety. Out of all her children, only Aris and Elentina had retained that child-like wildness. The little Johan had was wiped away by the hardships of the first year of his reign, and Kaen had always been a serious boy. And Mihai…Magnon couldn’t even imagine what could have happened to her boy to make him smile so little, to dull the twinkle in his eyes.

Aris was the opposite. He had been grumpy, rough around the edges, but now he seemed more easy going. Magnon had always thought that her youngest son did not belong in the palace. He had a spirit of an eagle, and he had to be free. She’d just wished Bane’s methods had been better, but as she watched him gazing down at his mate, the dimple in his cheek as prominent as the love in his eyes, she figured it all turned out for the best.

Jhoka seemed to think the same thing, and they looked up at each other with knowing smiles.

*~*~*  


‘’Damn,’’ Bane gave a long sigh, grinning as he sunk lower into the baths. The water was fragrant with lavender petals and different oils, the steam lifting around the marble room. The baths were huge, like the palace’s own lake, and Bane enjoyed every bit of the luxury before they returned to the mountains, ‘’we need to get these installed.’’

‘’Mmmh,’’ Aris hummed, also submerged to his shoulders, ‘’sample the royal life.’’

Bane looked at him with a low grin, ‘’I would _love_ to sample a _royal_ …’’

Aris put the flat of his palm above his eyes and pretended to scan the horizon, ‘’no royals here,’’ he said, ‘’just bandits, thugs and a royal pain in the ass.’’

Bane laughed as he swam up to Aris, but when he reached him, he was completely serious. Aris gazed up at him, almost expectantly, a small smile playing on his lips. His damp hair curled over his temples and at the nape of his neck, reminding him of liquid steel. It was almost like Aris was a weapon honed to aggravate him, to tease him, to hurt him, to drive him mad. That soft skin, those beautiful, downcast eyes, pouty, kissable lips, sloped shoulders, thin yet muscular arms, long legs… Bane sighed and leaned down to capture Aris lips in his own. It was rare that Aris did not fight him, did not pretend he didn’t want it, made Bane work for it before he got it. But today was different – the royal life indeed.

‘’You’re beautiful,’’ Bane told him.

Aris groaned, ‘’stop it…’’

Before he could protest any further, Bane lifted him from the water and tilted them around, so Aris was straddling his hips. All fight went out of Aris, and he cradled Bane’s face in his hands, looking deep into his eyes. Bane leaned forward, till their foreheads were touching and their lips were an inch apart, ‘’I love you,’’ he breathed. Aris’ breath hitched and his face was flooded with red. He looked away and dropped his hands, like he didn’t know what to do with himself. Bane brought him closer, ‘’it’s okay,’’ he murmured quietly, stroking his face with his knuckles, ‘’you don’t have to say anything back. I just wanted you to know.’’

Aris gingerly pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, and the to the place where Bane’s dimple came out on his cheek. Then, lower, down the nick of a scar on Bane’s jaw, to the white criss-cross on his collarbone and the jagged, triple lines, like a claw mark, on his shoulder. He kissed each claw mark, reverently, because each scar made up a part of who his mate was. Bane lifted his face back up from his shoulder gently, gazing at him with so much devotion the enormity of it scared Aris for a second – how could he ever match it? But then that intensity faded into a loving smile Aris was lucky enough to be graced with everyday. His hands slid down the length of Aris’ spine under the water, and lower still. Aris gasped when he felt a finger move into him, and hid his face in Bane’s shoulder. By now Bane knew what to do, where to touch, to get Aris in a state.

He kissed a trail of kisses up Aris’ neck, making him tilt his head backwards. He admired the pale column of Aris’ throat before attacking it with his mouth, leaving small, purple love marks over the ones that had yet to fade. At the second finger, Bane found himself being kissed by his mate; he melted into the kiss, as Aris wriggled impatiently against his hand, ‘’that’s enough,’’ his breathing was ragged when he pulled away, ‘’I’m ready now.’’

‘’You sure?’’ Bane’s lips skimmed his shoulder.

‘’Yes,’’ Aris didn’t wait for Bane to move him, shifting his hips by himself to find the head of Bane member under the water. The tip was slick with something other than water, and Aris didn’t hesitate to put Bane inside him. He hissed at the initial stretch, the familiar uncomfortable burn spreading through his body, followed by the gentle lapping of pleasure, a promise of what was to come. Aris slid himself down slowly and Bane watched him with glazed eyes, as if he was watching a god descend onto earth. He only managed to give Aris a few seconds of adjustment when he was in before he lost control. Aris cried out when Bane thrust up harshly, the gentle waves of pleasure turning almost into a sudden slap of it, close to pain. Aris groaned, leaning against Bane as he rocked his hips in a quick rhythm.

When he regained his bearings, Aris thrust his hips up and down, each movement making him feel Bane inside him. He was hot and hard and too quickly, Aris felt that he was close. Draping his arms over Bane’s shoulders, he clawed at his back viciously, trying to convey the intensity he was feeling. Bane groaned, then whispered his name before biting his neck. It was a mimic of the mating bite, not nearly as hard, but hard enough to be felt, to send shivers up his spine. With the third bite, Aris came, Bane’s name on his lips.

It took them another twenty minutes to stop kissing, and, just in time, they got dressed. A bath girl came in with more oils for the bath, and was startled to see them out already, ‘’you should probably change the water,’’ Aris told her as the slipped out of the baths.

‘’Thanks!’’ Bane called over his shoulder, ‘’the bath was really nice!’’

*~*~*

It took a good month for everyone to slowly litter out of the palace. Aris and Bane stayed for a few days, before departing for the two day long journey back to the mountains. Aris promised he’d visit more. Elentina stayed till summer was nearly over, before donning her peasant clothes once more; Johan half expected her to leave through the window, but after a heated goodbye, and a soft kiss pressed to sleeping Celestine’s forehead, she left through the front door, Nav in tow, for the four month journey back to Sahr by ship. Johan knew that he would not see her again for a long, long time. Mihai was so eager to be on his way that it was almost offensive, but Johan didn’t blame him. When he’d gone to Perth to check on the war camps, ever second of his day was spent on trying to think about something other than returning to his husband. Duchess Carena, thankfully, did not stay for long. Heba stayed only a short while, too, even though Aldhard was a month’s ride away, but she was not one for dwindling. The Duchess of Aldhard kept her goodbyes curt, showing the most affection to Celestine, and departed, bright blue hair in tow. With her, she took Galahad, who was to oversee the war camps at Perth. Gal’s departure was a kick in the butt to everyone else and before the week was over, the Cassiopeia twins were gone and Nydia was packing her bags. With these four generals in charge of his army, Johan figured they’d be okay. Eva Fade, as quietly as a real Esp, had gathered a squadron of her most trusted men and women and they had set out to Moriya.

And then, to everyone’s surprise, Jhoka and the Queen Mother announced that they were leaving, too.

‘’I’m tired, Johan,’’ his mother said to him, stroking his face as he stared at her in shock, ‘’I have lived at court most of my life, dabbed in the politics and intrigue. I’m tired. I am not young anymore, Johan. Nearly fifty and your father’s death hangs to these walls like inky shadows.’’

Johan swallowed, and even though the thought of running everything without his mother filled him with dread, he nodded, ‘’I understand.’’

‘’I have a chateau in Santa Sierra,’’ she continued, feeling the need to explain herself, ‘’and now that I have seen my first grandchild safely delivered, I must depart, and live the rest of my life in peace with my life’s companion,’’ she smiled at Jhoka, ‘’I will, of course, come when the other grandchildren arrive. I’m afraid you must find someone else to fill our positions in the council.’’

‘’I understand,’’ Johan repeated, hollow.

Within the month, mainly the original court remained, and though they were loud and joyful and full of gossip as always, the palace seemed much quieter. In the night, the only thing heard was Cel’s crying. Johan’s replacement of the missing councillors was swift, with Finn’s help – Mael Cassiopeia, the younger brother of the twins, became warfare overlord, taking the position from Kaen and Magnon, since Kaen wanted to concentrate on his child. Mirche Sadi, from the islands, became the Golden Overlord and Johan Eltain, an Omega man one year younger than King Johan, was made Overlord of the Charter. But even though the council life seemed stable for now, Johan’s personal life was not.

‘’Finn, Cel is crying,’’ Johan told Serafin, who was sitting on the windowsill, staring out into the night. Johan was getting dressed for sleep, but their baby was beginning to whimper. Johan had suggested a wet nurse before, but Finn was adamant about keeping the young prince in the cot in their room. He wanted his child close and so he got what he wanted. But now he didn’t react to Johan’s warning, ‘’Finn. The baby.’’ Again, no response. Celestine begun crying harder, ‘’Serafin.’’ Celestine took a powerful gulp of air and let loose and screech, his face bright red, mouth wide open, little tongue vibrating from the force of his scream, ‘’Serafin, the child!’’ Johan snapped.

‘’Why don’t you take him for once!?’’ Serafin suddenly jumped down from the window sill. He looked angry, and tired, ‘’he’s your son, too!’’

Johan gritted his teeth, ‘’if you can’t take care of him, I’ll get a wet nurse.’’

‘’I can take care of him!’’ Finn snapped, ‘’but you could, too, sometimes! This whole month I’ve been the only one caring for him!’’ Johan stared at him for a moment, before going towards the cot. Finn was there in a flash, splaying his arms wide. He didn’t look quite there, ‘’don’t touch him!’’

‘’I’m just going to calm him do-‘’

‘’NO!’’ Finn yelled and Johan saw how close to the edge he was. But it angered him that Finn hadn’t told him anything. He was angry that Finn kept it bottled up, and now was blaming Johan, ‘’don’t touch him!’’ he repeated.

‘’He’s my son too!’’ Johan took a step forward, growing aggravated, like a caged animal.

‘’NO!’’ Serafin yelled, ‘’no, no, no, I don’t need you, I don’t need you, I don’t need you…’’

Each word was like a punch to the guy and Johan knew that after months and months of bliss, something was wrong with Serafin again, ‘’Finn…’’ Serafin kept yelling over him, his voice getting louder and louder as Celestine’s screams increased in volume, ‘’Serafin!’’ needing to snap him out of it, Johan raised his hand, and aimed it for Finn’s cheek.

Just like that, Serafin fell silent, grabbing his wrist in a grip stronger than was physically possible for someone as small as Finn before it hit his cheek. He looked up with cold, absent eyes, the black of them feeling like two openings to hell. Even the air seemed to still as Finn looked at him for a long while, holding his wrist. Even Cel was silent. Finally, Serafin spoke in a voice colder than death, ‘’she is watching,’’ he said, ‘’and if you lay a hand on me again, you will die.’’ And then Finn’s eyes filled with tears and seemed to come back from whatever cold place he’d been in while the god spoke through his mouth, and his hand, gripping Johan’s wrist, weakened as he fell to the floor, sobbing, ‘’I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…’’

Johan stayed where he was, shocked. He finally lowered his eyes to Cel, who lay quietly in his cot. Ironically, he had fallen asleep. Slowly, Johan got to his knees in front of Finn and gathered him in his arms, pulling him into his lap. They sat on the floor for hours, Finn sobbing against Johan’s shoulder, and Johan stroking his bright red hair, his back, playing with his fingers, brushing them against his face, tracing the outline of his lips… He kissed him softly, on the forehead, mouth and nose, he ran his hand gently up and down his side, he tucked stray pieces of hair behind his ear till he had calmed, and Celestine had slept soundly through the night.

*~*~*

The first coded message was received but a week after Eva Fade supposedly landed in Moriya. The letter, inconspicuous, was stamped with the seal of House Fade, a pointy eared jackal, and, if someone read it, they wouldn’t have thought much of it.

_Dear Friend,_

_I am much enjoying my stay here. I will arrive at the port shortly, perhaps before autumn is over._

_E.F_

Johan sucked in a breath. Clearly, Eva wasn’t returning yet. She was telling him something – and if you knew what you were looking for, it wasn’t hard to guess at her real message. Moriya was going to attack. A port, which port, though? Johan read and re-read the letter, but it simply said ‘the port’. Unless…

Blood running cold, Johan sprinted out of his chambers, ordering guards to fetch his council, and the fastest Hermes’ in the Queensbane.

Moriya was going to attack all three ports.

*~*~*

‘’We’re not going to have children, are we?’’

Bane’s words startled Aris, but they rang true. He dropped his eyes to the ground, ‘’don’t look away,’’ Bane said, ‘’just tell me. If it’s a decision you’re absolutely certain about, then tell me.’’

Aris looked up at him slowly, from the floor of his room where he was drafting a letter, ‘’I am not going to have children with you, or anyone else.’’

Bane nodded, didn’t look surprised, and, thankfully, he didn’t look hurt either. He sat down opposite Aris, and just said it, ‘’I want to take Merin in as my protégé,’’ he looked Aris into the eyes, ‘’and as my son.’’ When Aris stared at him, not saying anything, Bane reached out and took his hand, ‘’and yours.’’

‘’I…I…’’

Before Aris could reply, the doors to his room burst open, and Merin appeared in them. That made two. Two people who could come into his room without knocking. Merin flew across the room and dropped next to Aris, waving a brightly coloured object in the air, ‘’look, look! Miss May showed me how to carve! I made this for you!’’ he dropped a piece of wood, clumsily carved and painted, into Aris’ lap. It could have been an animal, but Aris wasn’t sure. And yet, as he lifted it, he could see the hours of concentration five year old Merin put into the piece, while he and Bane were away, ‘’do you like it?’’ Merin’s cheeks were bright red, and he was grinning, eyes shining, expectant.

Aris reached out to him and brushed his silver hair back. Like this, they almost looked like father and son, ‘’Merin…’’ he said quietly, ‘’would you like it if Bane and I were your parents, from now on?’’ he heard Bane suck in a breath.

Merin’s grey eyes widened and his mouth fell open, ‘’y-you mean…like…I could call you dad?’’ he asked, pointing a chubby finger at Aris.

‘’Yes.’’ Aris felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

Merin turned to Bane, pointing his finger, ‘’and you, too?’’

‘’Yes.’’ Bane said, laughing.

And then Merin’s eyes filled with tears. Fat droplets ran down his face and his nose became runny. He balled his hands into fists and sniffed powerfully, ‘’yes!’’ he exclaimed, ‘’I’d like that very much, sir!’’ he yelled and it hurt Aris that, in moments of great emotion, his posture and rigour from the canyon came back. He was going to get rid of that. Carefully, he put Merin’s carved piece in his pocket. And then Merin broke and ran at Aris, throwing his arms around his neck, and started crying in earnest. Aris didn’t really know what to do with his hands; he’d never been good with children, but he ended up just settling it on Merin’s head. Over Merin’s shoulder, Aris looked at Bane, at his facial expression. And, gods, whatever happened, it had been worth it.

*~*~*

Two months on the ship back to Asakura had blown by in a matter of seconds. On the way to the palace, Mihai even requested an extra day of staying at an inn close to the castle from his entourage so he would look acceptable. He’d missed most of the Asakurian summer and now that autumn had rolled around, the trees were an explosion of red and orange. It felt good to slip back into the breezy, loose kimonos of Asakura, good to let his hair out of his braid so it fell in loose waves around his shoulders. And it was even better arriving at the quiet, peaceful palace, where Shay waited for him eagerly just inside the gates, having been notified by a runner from the party that he was arriving. He hadn’t changed much – tanned just the slightest from summer, maybe. With his stomach protruding, it was hard to hug, so when Shay approached him, as conservative as always, he simply kissed his hand. The entourage bowed their heads to the Emperor, and dispersed. Mihai quickly followed Shay into the palace, into their chambers, away from prying eyes.

Here, he cupped Mihai’s face and lay waste to him with kisses. Mihai laughed, and cried a little, happy to be back home, in the arms of the most precious person in the world. Shay led him over to the mat, and they sat down together, holding hands, ‘’how was it?’’ Shay asked, ‘’tell me everything.’’

‘’Later,’’ Mihai whispered, ‘’I just want to look at you.’’

Shay stroked his face, ‘’I missed you. And I didn’t touch anyone else,’’ he added heatedly, ‘’I never will.’’

‘’I know,’’ it felt strange to speak Asakurian after all the Kai, but Mihai was slowly settling back into the Asakurian atmosphere; although he didn’t think he’d ever get used to the quiet, ‘’I know, Shay. I trust you. And I don’t ever want to leave without you again; we can’t be apart. We just can’t. Tell me we can’t.’’

‘’We can’t,’’ Shay said, ‘’and we won’t ever have to.’’

‘’I love you.’’

‘’I love you, too,’’ Shay kissed his forehead, and stroked his stomach, ‘’and our child.’’

*~*~*

‘’Just lay down. Trust me.’’ Kaen prompted. Ilia grumbled something, but obediently lay on his side on the bed; his stomach was growing rapidly and now, without his tunic on, it was fully exposed, a large, brown orb, ‘’Shhh…’’ Kaen laughed at his grumbling, ‘’the physicians said this will help you relax.’’

‘’I am relaxed,’’ Ilia said tightly.

‘’And you’re also stubborn,’’ Kaen said pointedly. He lay down behind him and traced a large swan feather over Ilia’s dark back.

Ilia shivered at the light touch, ‘’I-I don’t like that.’’

‘’Liar.’’ Kaen grinned, continuing to trace the feather over his back. The gentle sensation made Ilia sleepy, while simultaneously making him ache for something more. The feather danced over his exposed arms. Kaen reached over to twirl it over Ilia’s stomach. Ilia sucked in a breath. He didn’t like to be reminded of the child in him even though it was _literally in front of him_. Using the side of the feather, Kaen drew up, over his nipples and neck, twirling the tip behind his ear. Against himself, he felt his muscles turn to water.

Without a warning, the cool feather was replaced by Kaen’s warm hand. Using just his fingertips, he stroked the brown skin of Ilia’s arm. It calmed him as much as it calmed Ilia. Since Johan had raised the alarm, so many things had to be done in preparation for war, if Eva Fade’s warning rang true. The four generals had been informed of the possibility of attack; Gal was on his way with the army from Perth towards Blackhaven port; Loic was taking his reinforcements from Ashta to the ruined Queensport and Aurea had already moved her troops from the Island of Hyuuga to Blackhaven port; Nydia Halides had evacuated from Rethymon and was now stationed in Naha. Captain Eyrie had split her naval ships into two, one half patrolling the area between Queensport and Naha, the other on the other side of the country, by Blackhaven port. Even Aelia and Kay were working close together to finish the training of the new cadets from the City and Palace guard. And Kaen…

Kaen was preparing himself, because if Moriya attacked, he would go into battle, with Johan. He thanked the gods that Ilia was pregnant; that he would not have to fight. Shaking off these morbid thoughts, Kaen moved his hands to stroke against Ilia’s back. The Moriyan prince sighed softly. Kaen switched his hand with his mouth, kissing down the length of Ilia’s spine. His skin tasted sweet, like the rest of him. He kissed his shoulder and neck, the nape of it, before turning him over carefully. He pressed a slow, lingering kiss to his full lips, one to his chin, to his throat and collarbone. He moved lower, to kiss down his chest and finally came to a stop at his stomach. His lips pressed against his belly button, and then he leaned his forehead against it, inhaling. He had wanted to touch it fully, to feel the presence of his child, for so long, but he didn’t want to go against Ilia’s wishes. But now Ilia let him.

Ilia hand reached down to stroke Kaen’s hair, ‘’I like names beginning with ‘A’,’’ he said softly.

Kaen sat up, ‘’what?’’

‘’You wanted to think about names, right?’’ Ilia’s fingers lingered on his stomach, ‘’I’ll let you pick, but I want the child’s name to start with A.’’ the _child’s_ , not _it’s_.

Happiness fluttering in his heart, he opened his mouth just as the doors banged open. A breathless Hermes stood in it, one Kaen didn’t recognise. Kaen flung the furs over a startled Ilia’s naked body, and growled at the boy, ‘’how dare you barge in here.’’

But the boy didn’t care about decencies. Not now, ‘’the King has called an emergency council,’’ the boy looked terrified, ‘’the Moriyan fleet has broken through our defences and is going straight for the ports; Captain Eyrie is dead.’’


	30. The Siege of Ports

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for not updating for ages, but I had my drama a level today and it went okay, but I've had problem with my group these past few days and I got home late, so I kind of types up bits and pieces of the chapter here and there, and finally finished it today. I hope you guys like it! I'm sorry but I'm super tired, so I can't reply to comments rn - just know that I love all of you, especially my sisters, and you all are great!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ps. someone asked me how you say Aris - it's A-rees not Ey-ris xD They gave me a good example, but I forgot, but it's the A that is in 'another'. And since we're on the topic of names:   
> Johan - Yo-han, not Jow-han   
> Kaen - Ka-en, not Keyn  
> Heba - He-ba, not Hi-ba  
> Shayan - Shai-an, not She-yan   
> Serafin - Se-ra-fin not Seray-fin   
> Ilia - I-li-a not Il-aya  
> Haha just in case any of you were reading it in different ways xD Like, in my head I say the names how a Polish person would say it, but if anyone is saying it in a proper English way than the names can be totally different xD Curious how you guys have read it up till now ;p   
> Either way, enjoy the chappie!!!

It hurt Kaen that Ilia would celebrate his nineteenth birthday alone. Hurt him more than he could show. Suddenly aware of how little time together they had left, he cradled Ilia’s stomach, kissing it and then him. Ilia watched him move in his heavy armour, looked at his sword, with eyes full of tears. Kaen cradled his face in his hands, wanting to tell him that everything was okay – but he had to be realistic, ‘’Ilia. If anything happens to me, promise you’ll take care of our child. I know you don’t want it in these circumstances, but promise me that you’ll take care of yourself, and our baby, and you’ll stick to Serafin. Take care of him, too.’’

‘’I promise,’’ Ilia said, voice shaking, ‘’but you have to promise you’ll be back before I birth it.’’

‘’Yes.’’ Kaen knew he might well be lying but he promised himself he’d try his best to stay alive. He had time – Ilia was only about five months along. He had time. Kaen kissed his trembling hand, ‘’I promise.’’

Ilia finally broke down, tears rolling down his cheeks, ‘’promise me you’ll come back.’’

Kaen kissed him, hard, and when he pulled back, he leaned their foreheads together, ‘’Aethelfrith,’’ he said suddenly.

Ilia sniffed, ‘’what?’’

‘’A name, beginning with ‘A’,’’ Kaen grinned, ‘’for our child. Aethelfrith.’’

Finally smiling, Ilia kissed him again, ‘’and if it’s a girl.’’

‘’Adelais.’’

‘’Aethelfrith or Adelais,’’ Ilia tasted the names, and then his husband’s lips again, ‘’I like them.’’

*~*~*

‘’Report.’’ Johan barely handed Aherin, his white horse, to a squire as he arrived in Queensport before the Captain of the City Watch was by him. It hurt to see Queensport after all this time – he could never forgive Bane for burning this ancient, beautiful city, second only to Queensbane, to the ground. Amongst the burnt down wooden houses and abandoned stone buildings, the Asakurian reinforcements stood their ground – the Asakurian Emperor could not possibly phantom how grateful he was that he had answered the call for help briskly and generously after Eva Fade’s warning. The almond-eyed, dark haired Asakurian soldiers mingled with the Kai City Watch; Loic had not yet arrived. The Moriyan fleet was yet to be seen, but it was early morning, and the mist that stretched out over the sea seemed to hide more dangers than Johan would like.

‘’No attack yet, my lord,’’ Aelia walked with him briskly through the parting troops, ‘’we are waiting on General Loic’s reinforcements. He should be here soon. We are estimating that since the last of the navy came back, reporting that the Moriyan ships broke through, we don’t even have a day before the attack starts.’’ She stopped suddenly, and added in a hushed voice, ‘’what of the bandits?’’

Johan gritted his teeth. In his desperation upon hearing of Captain Eyrie’s death, he had called on the bandits to help defend Kainan. The reply had been swift: they would not come. This was not their war, ‘’Aris will come, and he’s worth more than all of them put together,’’ Johan assured, although it didn’t sound very reassuring. From the sounds of it, they were grossly outnumbered by the Moriyan ships, and it was aggravating, not knowing what was going on at the other two ports. If necessary, a Hermes could be sent between Naha and Queensport, but Blackhaven was on the other side of the country. Johan had thought the bandits would have defended it, rather than cower in their caves.

He now remembered an old song; a children’s one, that he and Nav, Elen, Aris Mihai and Kaen, Aelia and Rozhin had sang during long summers when they had not known yet what war, or ruling or duty was. A song to remember all the ancient houses of Kainan and their sigils;

_Artoir stands like the fortress in the North,_

_With rage, Gwydion gallops forth,_

_Dairmuid keeps watch of the night,_

_Alderbran is vicious, ready to bite,_

_Llaw brings with it the forests’ beasts,_

_Old Winter, house not yet deceased,_

_Vainamonen flutters with pride,_

_The winner is always on Fade’s side,_

_Proud as Queens, Gerdaliah roams,_

_Aberline protects Kai homes,_

_Rotavelle fights for the freedom,_

_House Meridian, te Deum!_

_Eltain rises from the ashes,_

_Halides, faster than lightning flashes,_

_Malfall echoes the ancient rite,_

_Sadi tames the endless night,_

_Eridian, cunning and precise,_

_Royal Adhara is suffice,_

_Cassiopeia rises to the sky,_

_And Hyndestane kings never die._

That last line, defining House Hyndestane, the ancient bloodline of Kai kings, the longest dynasty in the world, was what plagued him. There had been many Kings and Queens before him, bad, good, useless, neutral – Magne, the first warrior Queen; Queen Kaliyah, the Slayer of a Thousand Heads; King Lisandro the Liberator; Queen Ezra II the builder; Kaliyah II, Lady Bloody Axe; King Casimir the peace-maker; King Odion I the Cruel; King Odion II, his own father; and Johan I the Brave, who had raised the fortress in Aldhard, protected Kainan from a Salarian invasion and married the Salarian king, like him, Johan II. Bad or good, the previous Hyndestanes retained their hold on the throne and kept Kainan safe; and now it was his turn, to earn his title, to be remembered as a strong King. And he wasn’t so sure he could do it.

Apparently Hyndestane Kings never died.

Well, they were about to find out if that was true.

*~*~*

Heba looked out at the sea and sighed. It seemed that Aldhard cold couldn’t even seep into her old bones properly before she was called back to Queensbane. Naha was a small town, and it gave her the creeps with the dolls in every window and street crook, but if Naha was taken, then Queensport would suffer invasion from the side as well as the front. If both fell, nothing would stop Moriya from marching into the capital, save for Kay, the palace guard who remained to protect Ilia and Serafin, and a handful of recruits, little Cao amongst them. Elentina would, of course, send Sahrian troops but they would never make it in time, not with months of sea journey between them and Kainan. So Heba would have to make do, with her, and her brutish army of mercenaries, and young, inexperienced General Nydia and…

‘’I would notice that blue hair anywhere. Quite unfashionable.’’

Keeping back a groan, Heba turned slowly as to not injure her back, which had been noticeable lately, ‘’Mela. Anna.’’

‘’Heba,’’ Mela Hyndestane II, mother of Odion II, nodded at Heba. She was as old and wrinkled and faded as Heba was, but the strength in her face that she had passed onto her son remained, ‘’Anna. Don’t be rude.’’

‘’Yes, Anna,’’ Heba said coldly, ‘’not all of us have been blessed with silver hair that never goes grey.’’

Anna I, Mela’s Omega Queen, played with the tips of her thick, silver ponytail, pleased. She, in turn, had passed on her pettiness to her daughter, Carena. Even as an old woman, Anna was beautiful, which got on Heba’s nerves. Anna was armed with a surprisingly un-flashy silver sword, the hilt wrapped in fraying black leather. Mela’s own ancient blade was strapped to her hip. Heba touched her own rapier, which she had not used in over twenty years. It was hard times for Kainan, if their defence came down to three old women. _Three old women_ , Heba reminded herself, _and their armies_. She glanced out at the mingling soldiers, needing a shot of rarely needed courage. Her mercenaries, a mix of women and men, beta, alpha and omega, distinguished themselves by the lack of uniform amongst the shining armour of professional soldiers. Her hired guns wore rough leather and frayed fabric, dull breastplates and ruffled cloaks, but each and every one of their swords was polished, sharp and ready for action.

 _If_ action came.

 Heba looked out at the foggy sea of the Nahian port, and wondered briefly if the siege had really begun.

*~*~*

Just when Johan begun wondering where General Loic was, he bumped into him. Loic had been walking briskly, dressed in a dark blue uniform, with twin blades peeking over his dark shoulders, set with topaz gems the size of a large stone, ‘’majesty,’’ Loic bowed to his king, ‘’my soldiers are here and ready for battle.’’

‘’Good,’’ Johan nodded approvingly, ‘’although-‘’

Suddenly something flew above his head and the armies exploded into panicked shouts as a rock four times the size of Johan’s head sailed through the air and hit a cluster of burnt remains of Queensportian homes, ‘’what the…’’ Loic whirled around to face the waterline, with Johan, just as another rock flew from the fog in the distance. This one was much better aimed, and it crashed atop a scatter of Asakurian soldiers. Two didn’t get up again; one limped away, crying out in agony, his foot severed at the ankle.

 Johan snapped out of his shock, ‘’soldiers, to the canons!’’ he bellowed, and the ones closest to him heard, for they passed on the order like a relay and pretty soon, the rocks were being shot back into the fog. There was the distant sound of crashes and yells, and the sound of rock hitting water. A sail, tall and proud, came crashing from the fog, broken in half. Before it sank into the unforgiving waters, Johan glanced at the flag – white and dark red, with the purple Moriyan flame shooting sparks. A few seconds later the Kai army seemed to hold a collective breath as one by one, Moriyan ships floated out of the fog.

There was more than Johan could possibly dare to count.

*~*~*

Kaen barely managed to jump of Baylor before a boulder flew above his head and crashed against a Blackhaven Port’s brothel. The people who had chosen not to evacuate now run screaming from their houses – it did not help that Blackhaven town was five steps from the actual port, and thus the siege. Kaen, exhausted after nearly a month’s ride from the capital that he had set out on as soon as he heard the news of the siege, looked around the temporary war camp set up at the cliff overlooking the town, which spiralled down from the cliff and down to the beach. The Kai flag fluttered everywhere – blue material, like the sky, with white thread presenting the image of a winged sword, the ancient blade Gordain himself used to cleave the universe. Tents were set up, too, and the boulders seemed to sail harmlessly past them, and into Blackhaven. For days of siege, Kaen figured that the damage wasn’t bad at all, until he realised that multiple rows of buildings in front of the tavern had already been reduced to ash and sad remains. Kaen looked at the three peaks of the Moher mountains in the distance.

‘’My lord!’’ Aurea, Loic’s sister and the General of the Southern army, ran up to him, violet cloak swishing. She looked exhausted, the sigil of House Cass, a winged serpent, outlined in silver thread on the breast pocket of her tunic of leather dyed purple.

‘’General,’’ Kaen nodded at her. For now, he’d been directed by Johan to take charge of the siege at Blackhaven port, and all it did was remind him how much he did not want to be king, ‘’what is the situation?’’

‘’For two days, the Moriyan fleet has been shelling Blackhaven town, but now the canons have finally arrived, so we can retaliate,’’ they walked briskly towards the edge of the cliff, where a hundred canons were literally being loaded as they spoke, ‘’before that, the sea was silent, and yet the autumn fog has kept up, and we couldn’t see the ships. They could literally have been there, buying time, just out of sight, or they could have arrive two days ago.’’

‘’I understand. Well, let’s begin the retaliation. We will hopefully be able to see the extent of the fleet, or at least we will disperse the fog a little.’’ He turned to the army and called to no one in particular, ‘’Hermes!’’

Immediately, a girl of about fifteen that did not belong anywhere broke from the ranks. There were a few runners on stand-by, and now she saluted Kaen, enthusiastically albeit clumsily, ‘’ride to Queensport and notify the King that the ships would not be able to carry all these boulders across the ocean. They must have a supply ship, if not multiple, within their ranks – you get rid of these, you force them into land combat. Minimal stops. Understood?’’

The task was daunting – more than a month of riding, by herself, from one war-ridden place to another. But the girl bowed, ‘’yes, my lord!’’ she yelled, and turned to go.

‘’Wait. Name?’’

The girl looked surprised, ‘’Miia, my lord.’’

‘’Alright, Miia.’’ Kaen had the sense to send her a reassuring smile, ‘’ride like the wind.’’

Miia grinned at him and ran. As she ran, she swiped past a boy running for Kaen. His lack of armour, ruddy, dirty skin and quick manner made him realise it was another Hermes, who bowed quickly and prattled out, ‘’a message from King Johan II; Queensport is under siege. Stand ground till you receive other information, my lord.’’

Kaen gaped, ‘’has it been under siege since you were sent out.’’

The boy wavered, unsure, ‘’I…I assume so, my lord.’’

‘’Gods,’’ Kaen breathed. He hadn’t realised how limited communication was – for all he knew, Queensport’s army could be wiped out by the time Miia reached it. Still, he clapped the boy on the shoulder, ‘’good job. Find a tent, and have someone bring you food. Rest.’’

The boy nearly collapsed with relief, ‘’yes, my lord!’’

Once he was gone, Kaen scanned the crowd of bustling soldier. The first canons were let loose under the commandeer of Aurea, who had disappeared from his side. They disappeared into the fog and from this distance, Kaen couldn’t hear what they hit, but soon enough new boulders came hurtling from the nothing. The soldiers barely reacted to them. It seemed that this fleet was under the supervision of someone incompetent – they had no idea the attack was missing the actual army by a large portion. Thankful for at least that, Kaen suddenly spotted someone – someone with thin, muscular arms, wearing bandit leather, silver hair shining, ‘’Aris!’’ His little brother turned in time for Kaen to pull him into a brief, but strong hug, ‘’you came.’’

‘’Of course,’’ Aris gripped his shoulders. He was strapped with weapons. Kaen recognised _Vasilios_ , his royal sword which he must have swiped when he’d come to the palace for Celestine’s name ceremony. Otherwise, Aris also had twin blades, curved and crude, no doubt bandit weapons, and an intricate dagger at his belt. His hair had grown out a little, softening the sharp jut of his chin and his straight nose, but a fire burned in his eyes where once there had only been mischief, ‘’Bane wanted to come,’’ he added, ‘’he really did. But Bandit code forbids it.’’ It hurt Aris to remember how much Bane had pleaded him not to go, how he’d begged and kissed him, and looked close to tears, knowing he could not follow – an ironic scene, after Bane’s departure to a pirate war that did not involve Aris.

‘’Don’t worry,’’ Kaen turned towards the fog and the ships hidden within, ‘’we’ll get these bastards soon enough.’’

*~*~*

Action had come suddenly, and without a warning, and a solution was not arising fast enough. Heba watched helplessly as Mela, Anna and General Nydia shouted orders, hurtling boulders from canons into the foggy sea. The ones that disappeared into the mist seemed to come right back. After four days of constant shelling, the part of Naha closest to the sea was in ruins, doll parts and body parts mingling amongst the rubble. There had been some elderly, too stubborn to move, that died in the attack, and dozens of soldiers trying to evacuate them before it was too late. And retaliation didn’t seem to work – the ships remained hidden in the strange, almost wicked autumn fog that clung to the sea, scaring the soldiers, who didn’t know how many ships they were facing.

So now Heba thought up a different plan.

‘’Hold fire!’’ she demanded, voice croaky from days of shouting orders. Her dull armour was grey with dust from the crashed homes, and her sword remained against her side, unused. She stalked along the line of canons as quickly as her old legs would carry her – she did not have time to go down all one hundred of canons, not if her plan didn’t work, so she settled for the, dumping soaked cloths on top of the boulders, ‘’tie that around,’’ she said.

The soldiers exchanged confused looks. Mela watched her gravely, while Anna raised a silver eyebrow. Nydia opened her mouth to argue, but Heba silenced her with a raised hand. The cloth was tied around the ten boulders promptly. Heba clicked her fingers and a confused guard, which she had dragged around while gathering supplies, brought forward a flaming torch. She touched it to the first boulder, covered with the soaked cloth, and the soldiers jumped back when it lit instantly. She did so with the other nine, and stepped back, ‘’now. Fire.’’

Not in any position to argue with her, the soldiers went to the canons and launched the flaming boulders through the air. They disappeared into the fog like other, and Heba’s shoulders slumped – that had been her last retort. What was she to do now? But just then there was a shrill scream and a pinprick of watery orange broke through the fog, followed by an inferno. It blazed so quickly and violently, that the fog was dispersed, leaving the Moriyan flotilla, or at least the front ranks, in bare view. The ships were shorter, strangely built, with the purple flame flags billowing in the wind. Those flags, and sails, was what the fire from the boulders feasted on now. It devoured wood and more sailors than Heba could count from this distance created ripples in the ocean, abandoning ship.

Heba turned to Mela, who was already grinning, ‘’bring more fire!’’

*~*~*

General Galahad Vainamonen arrived days after the battle begun, with his army, but it wasn’t as if he would have made much of a difference, not when the siege was largely based on catapulting rocks back and forth into the fog. And yet when Gal jumped down from his horse and ran for Kaen, the prince knew something was wrong. Gal grabbed his shoulders, all titles gone to hell, ‘’they’re coming!’’ he said urgently, ‘’the Moriyans have broken through at other towns, and are closing in from behind.’’

Kaen swore. Of course. It only took a few ships to keep the Blackhaven defence busy, if they were well hidden, while the rest of the ships attacked unprotected towns along the coasts, towns that were not ports. If they’d gotten through then the Kai army was cornered, between the sea and it’s Moriyan fleet and the advancing army, ‘’how long.’’

‘’Days march, maybe. We barely avoided them,’’ Gal was out of breath.

Kaen called for a Hermes, ‘’if this is happening here, they might have a similar plan at Queensport and Naha. Ride as fast as you can and alert my brother.’’ The Hermes was the boy that had ran from Queensport previously, and had been resting for days. He nodded and found his horse. Kaen watched him gallop off, fighting the hopelessness that threatened to over take him. Finally, he whirled to Gal, Aurea and Aris, who had gathered around him, ‘’prepare the soldiers for battle, by tomorrow. We need to stand our ground, and we cannot be pushed out into the sea.’’ The two generals nodded and dispersed, but Aris hovered, realising his brother wasn’t done, ‘’we need to get that supply ship,’’ Kaen said quietly, ‘’so at least we’re not shelled from the back.’’

Aris nodded curtly and he, too, disappeared. Kaen looked out into the horizon of the hills – undoubtedly, by the time the sun rose tomorrow it would be black with the writhing mass of an army. He shivered in the unnatural autumn cold. For some reason, he felt the Hermes would not reach Johan.

*~*~*

Gods, they had planned it perfectly. Johan gritted his teeth as his sword clashed again and again with his opponent, of whom he saw only two dark eyes peeking from behind his helmet and a pair of brown hands wielding twin blades that Johan was having trouble parrying. First had come the news that the towns on the coastline from Naha all the way to Whailla were being attacked and so he had acted on instinct – he’d stretched his army thin, sending troops to every sea town to protect their backs, so the soldiers wouldn’t corner them in the ports. And while his army wasn’t at its full power, the ships had taken port, and soldiers begun crawling from them like ants. They attacked in waves, while ships continued to throw boulders at the shattered Queensbane. It seemed that they only managed to get rid of one handful of soldiers before another was upon them. Johan’s army sustained injuries and countless deaths, and he knew the Moriyan fleet was bidding their time to start the real attack – Johan didn’t know what it could be. They couldn’t even operate the canons, couldn’t sleep or eat, fighting to keep hold on the port. The only safe haven was at the end of Queensport, where Queensbane begun, where the houses were still intact. Exhausted soldiers and the wounded were taken there to rest before returning to battle.

Johan’s sword found a chink in his opponents armour and his blade moved into his side like a knife into butter. He twisted the blade and when he withdrew, the man collapsed. Johan didn’t have time to celebrate his victory as another was on him.

*~*~*  


Even though Shay had spent reinforcements, Mihai felt sick to his stomach. He sat on his bed, curling and writhing, begging the child in his stomach to sit patiently. He was worried – there had been no news from his brothers and all he knew was that battles raged against the coastline of Kainan. He’d never been much of a fighter, but he desperately wanted to help. Except ever since the night before, the pain wouldn’t stop. His child was restless, unlike either of its parents. It got to the point where Mihai started crying out in pain. A servant fetched the physician, and when the words fell, they startled Mihai into temporary silence.

‘’It has started,’’ they said in Asakurian, bewildered. More physicians poured into the room, wearing beautiful gowns and funny hats.

Mihai shook his head against his pillow, clutching his stomach, ‘’no…’’ his breathing was laboured, ‘’it’s a month too early…’’

The physicians ignored his remarks, pulling him to his feet. He screamed in pain, ‘’the stress must have triggered it. We must get the child out, as soon as possible,’’ they whispered amongst themselves, hauling Mihai away as if he was a rag doll. With his last ounce of strength, he dug his heels in, and stopped by a guard.

‘’Get my husband. Tell Shay I’m in the birthing chambers, please,’’ then he was being moved by the physicians again, and the pain took everything else away. It was almost as if the child was gnawing at his insides, trying to get out, ‘’not yet, little one,’’ he wasn’t sure he was saying the words out loud, but they were Kai, ‘’it’s not time yet.’’

The pain lessened only when he was on the mat in the birthing chamber, and only for a moment. He saw Shay come in, look at him with desperate worry before he was surrounded by physician. Mihai heard snippets of conversation;

‘’It is because of his concern for his brothers…’’

‘’The baby had been ready since yesterday, and now his body is weak…’’

‘’It will be dangerous…’’

‘’We are not sure he will make it…’’

‘’We must start now…’’

‘’Shay!’’ Mihai’s voice was nothing more than a sob, but his husband heard, and went to him. He knew that Shay wasn’t allowed to stay with him when he was birthing his child, but he gripped his hand anyway. He remember how he had seduced Shay when Iomana had been in his position, and he knew he couldn’t let the Emperor slip away, ‘’don’t go, Shay. Please stay. I beg you, I can’t do this without you, I can’t…’’ he cried out as another wave of pain hit him. His eyes widened when he saw the crude, sharp knives the physicians were sterilising in hot water and herbs.

Shay kissed his sweaty forehead, ‘’I’m staying,’’ he assured him.

‘’Majesty, you can’t…’’ the Physicians were appalled.

‘’Give him the potion before he faints from the pain,’’ Shay snapped, silencing them. A vial was brought to Mihai and pressed against his lips. He drank greedily and Shay stroked his hand, ‘’I’m staying,’’ he assured once more, in Kai.


	31. The Battle of The Mist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thank you for all your support so far! Um...Not to freak you out or anything but WE HAVE TWO CHAPTER TO GO BEFORE THIS STORY IS COMPLETE WHAAAAAATTT!?!?!? but dont fret, I have the sequel planned out - its gonna be new, fresh, I think I'm even gonna toss in some BDSM in it, who knows xD Either way, I hope you guys stay for that one too!!! 
> 
> Alna_King - Polish missing person's unit, I'm cryiinggggg xD Omg I'm so happy you like how I write war, cuz I don't even know if it's decent xD YASSS LETS GET MARRIED. 
> 
> zef - hahaha yasss wildfire!!! I listened to your advice and did not kill anyone...or did I? mwahahahahah! Thanks for commenting my love!!! 
> 
> Daiski29 - firstly, Phaedra is such a beautiful name. How awesome is it that you speak Dutch!? I have so many bilingual readers, welcome to the club!! Wait, does that mean you pronounce Kaen 'Ka-ien'??? hahaha, either way, thanks so much for your support!
> 
> StellaCruz - hahaha I love how you go and support Moriya xD I'm pretty sure you're the one who was rooting for the assassins in the first place as well ;p Yaaay, you liked the song~ So do you want me to kill Mihai or what!?!? Girl, sometimes your angsty wishes go against my already planned plot line xD I'M SORRY THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH ANGST FOR YOU BUT JUST YOU WAIT, IT'S COMING BABYYY!!! Ps. thank you for your encouragement, I hope I pass!! 
> 
> SeamoreRed - you have blue hair WHAAAATATTTTTTTTT I love blue hair I want blue hair you should read Daughter of Smoke and Bone the main character has blue hair and its sickkkkk h9ehe9fhe9fh9efhsiohos. Hahahah, anyway, thank you for your support! 
> 
> And everyone else, too! I love you guys!!!

Three months of chilly autumn passed, and winter attacked, ferocious. And still the port fights raged on. Johan, huddled in his cloak, fought with himself, not to lose hope, to keep going. Snow fell in soft tufts to settle on the trees of the forest the army had retreated to. Giving up the remains of Queensport in favour of the forest that ran as a border between it and Queensbane may have given the Moriyans more ground, but it also gave the Kai army cover. The fact that the Moriyan soldiers could not enter the forest without an ambush was useful, but every time the army tried to leave the forest they were cut down one by one as they tried to get through the narrow spaces between the trees. Soon enough, everyone stopped moving, chained to their makeshift tents by the greedy claws of winter. The battle came to a standstill and the soldiers were left to slowly freeze or starve to death – Johan was plagued by the knowledge that he had given up the port to the enemy.

Now, instead of following his base instinct to attack, he had sent an envoy to the Moriyan fleet. Namely – Rehan. He’d gone the night before, and had yet to return.

Aelia, the Captain of the guard, was sitting in the corner, sharpening her knives and waiting for her King to speak. Her dark red hair seemed to be the only flash of colour nowadays, between the snowy forest and the gleam of steel. General Loic was much more impatient, giving Johan pointed looks as he paced the war tent. He, too, was worried for his family; Aurea, his twin sister, was fighting in Blackhaven Port with General Gal, and there had been no news from either. Johan stood over maps on a small wooden table in his tent, but he wasn’t reading them – he was thinking about if Rehan accomplished something, or if he was already dead. He tried to push back the thoughts that hinted that his siblings were dead – there had been no message from Blackhaven port in months. All Johan could do was stay in the safe protection of the trees, and hope Rehan found the ships in the mist.

*~*~*

‘’We. Don’t. Have. Ships,’’ Anna actuated every word. She was growing miserable, as was Mela. The cold wintry coastline weathers did not do good for women who spent most of their time on warm Kai islands, but Heba, who had lived in cold, hard Aldhard all her life had no trouble with the cold, hard Naha,  ‘’they were all lost when Captain Eyrie failed to protect the coastline.’’

‘’We find ships,’’ she said simply, staring out at the mist. Their fire attack had worked, for maybe a day, till the Moriyans figured out what was going on. They spaced out their ships and hid them well, so that on the rare occasion that their fire found them in the fog, only one ship burnt down.  And their supply seemed never- ending. They must have gotten ahold the north side of Capadonia, transporting ammunition from there to the supply ship that lurked in the mist like a beast.

‘’How?’’ Mela stood. The more fire Anna gained, the more Mela seemed drained, tired. The wrinkles around her eyes were deep, ‘’every merchant ships had been converted into defence at the battle. They have all been destroyed.’’ She sighed, helpless, ‘’we’ve talked about this for days.’’

‘’We should have issued someone to make ships months ago,’’ Heba said bitterly, but Mela shook her head sadly.

‘’Everyone has gone, Heba,’’ for once, she did not refer to her as Duchess Aldhard, ‘’Naha has been abandoned; few stayed. These people made dolls, not war ships.’’

Heba gritted her teeth and looked out into the sea. She hated losing, and she hated feeling helpless. Aldhard was a fortress, called The Last Stronghold. There, looking out at the sea that marked the end of the world, Heba felt invincible. No one would ever attack something as powerful as the Aldhard fortress, and no one would dare swim close, fearing that if they got too close to the Waterfall of the Gods it would whip them away and off the edge of the earth to the eternal abyss. But Naha was open and vulnerable and hard to defend and Heba _didn’t like it_. Still, as she gazed out at the sea, covered I faint mist that still returned, nothing compared to the thick fog from before, she couldn’t help but feel awed. It was so vast, and yet it connected so many people. Connected…

Everything.

Even the ships, no matter how spaced out they were.

Heba turned suddenly from the edge, where the canons were being loaded up by tired, bruised soldiers and ventured into the camp. She found Nydia in the war tent, dark brown hair hanging in her face as she poured over maps. She had a dozen soldiers with her – three Omegas included. They were talking loudly about the best plan of action but when Heba entered, they fell silent. Heba looked at the young General, ‘’I have a plan,’’ she said. She hadn’t felt this young in years, ‘’but we are going to need naphtha. A lot of it.’’

*~*~*

Aris hadn’t led men in so long, he almost forgot how it felt. He missed having Kay at his side – he was like a rock to his fire. But then he missed Bane, too, so much that it felt like a hole had been opened in his heart. He was the only one who matched his fire. Together, they created explosions. But now Aris was alone. Okay, that wasn’t totally true. Even with General Galahad gone weeks ago after the first battles, in which they managed to push back the Moriyan soldiers and build a quick fortress around the camp grounds, to warn Johan about the supply trip, adamant that the Hermes boy did not make it back, no doubt slaughtered by the enemy, he had people. Firstly, Kaen. His brother was like his pillar. And General Aurea was strong.

Even so, as he climbed the ropes, he felt more alone than ever. It was dark, moonlight shining into the bay, and with the mist that surrounded everything he didn’t think there was an end to the rope. Maybe he’d be climbing it forever, his dagger in his mouth. Of course, that wasn’t true – soon enough, he saw the tip of the ship and then he was jumping down soundlessly onto the deck. The Moriyan fleet seemed to fall asleep at night, and the land attacks begun, pushing them further and further towards the sea – soon their makeshift fortress would topple. But just when they thought they’d gotten used to the routine, the Moriyans would switch, and the land army would attack at day, while the ships shelled them constantly at night. The worst time was when they attacked together.

Quiet as death, Aris slit the throat of the guard closest to him. There were multiple ones posted at the ships edges, and they were staring out at the water with dead eyes, shivering in the chilling wind they were unaccustomed to. When the soldiers attacked the camp, the Kai army didn’t have time to retaliate towards the ships. But Aris didn’t go to them; instead, he slipped quietly past the half-frozen deck, and slipped down the latch to the lower levels of the ship. It had taken them a full day to send scouts to figure out which ship was the one that supplied the other with ammunition, to pin point it and memorise coordinates, to figure out which ships were one either side of it. Then they had to gear up – they only took four people; Kaen remained on the land in case something went wrong. He and Aurea had taken two other soldiers with a small, lithe build. They were waiting in boat that had gone unnoticed in the night. From it, Aurea and Aris had shot silent ropes up to the masts and climbed up into the misty danger beyond.

Knowing that Aurea was doing the same, Aris slipped soundlessly down the steps to the lower decks. He hoped Moriyan ships were built similarly to Kai ones, and the canons wouldn’t be hard to find. Without alerting others, Aris quickly and efficiently gutted two guards before he was noticed. Most soldiers seemed to be asleep wherever they could find a place – on the floor, on boxes, in the corner, on the stairs. The ships were grossly over-populated. The soldiers were unlikely to wake easily – they had to gather energy before repeating the attack that had gone on for months.

In the dark of the ship, it took Aris a while to find the naval artillery, and he was beginning to panic. He and Aurea had decided on a given time, and he was running out. He slipped into the artillery silently and closed the doors behind him. There were no soldiers here, but then again why should they? They had been using the canons on deck to cripple Blackhaven, and these had proven useless. Till now. He loaded the canons as quickly as he could, his hands covered in soot.

Aris counted down in his head, hoping he’d gotten the timing right, and reached behind him, swiping an unlit torch from the straps between his blades. Producing two firestones, he struck them against each other awkwardly to light a spark atop the torch. When it blazed, it blinded him for a second. Now that anyone could see the warm orange glow from under the doors, he only had minutes, maybe less. Quickly, he lit the first wick and ran down to the next canon, and the next. When they were all lit, he pressed himself against the wall and pressed his hands to his ears. He didn’t know if it would work; he’d never operated canons on a ship before, and they were different than the ones on land. Still, as he first canon released with a boom, he knew he’d done alright. The booms were quickly echoed by second ones, of the canons that Aurea had set off. He sent a silent thanks to the gods for keeping her safe.

But now there were shouts from above, as cannonball after cannonball hit the sides of the supply ship from both ends. The ship’s groan could be heard all the way in the artillery, and Aris had but seconds to celebrate his victory, before the doors burst open. A massively built man with brown skin yelled something at him in the beautiful, melodic language of Moriya, as he charged. He wielded his sword well, but he was huge, and lumbering, and Aris had no trouble dancing away from him. Reaching for his own curved bandit blades, he drew them out, glaring deadly at the man a few paces away.

And that was when the wall collapsed and a cannonball slammed straight into the man, bringing him clean through the wall. The ship Aris was on groaned like the supply one, only much louder. Aris knew everyone would gather on deck, and couldn’t risk it. Instead, he ran to the massive hole in the wall, touching the water’s edge so that the room gathered water quickly. Someone had blown a hole in the enemy’s ship, but who…? Sticking his head out of the hole, Aris glanced around and grinned, heart elevated, before jumping into the dark, murky, freezing water.

It took him minutes of high-speed swimming to reach the hull of the ship, and a minute more to clamber up the linen ladder that had been let down for him. He jumped on deck, shaking his wet hair and hands, looking around at the busy soldiers, rushing around. Kai soldiers. And when he turned, he wasn’t even surprised when he saw who led them, ‘’Captain Eyrie, back from the dead.’’ Eyrie extended her hand and Aris clasped it, ‘’I thought you perished in the siege months ago.’’

‘’That was a disgrace,’’ Eyrie said gravelly, ‘’I couldn’t show my face without redeeming myself.’’

Aris looked around, at the Kai ships circling around the Moriyan ones, blue flags whipping in the wintery wind. But Aris didn’t even feel the cold. The ships could fire one on the other, and end both their fleets, but they weren’t stupid enough to. For now, it was a stalemate, at least on the waters, and the Moriyans were stuck without their supply ship, which bubbled sadly as it sank into the waves, ‘’where did you get the ships from?’’

‘’It’s true the initial siege wiped out more than half of us,’’ Eyrie crossed her arms, ‘’but we have another base in Hyuuga.’’

‘’I thought the ships from there were used, too.’’

‘’Mostly. I was left with cadets, and more half-finished ships than finished ones,’’ Eyrie shrugged, ‘’we had to make do. These aren’t exactly very stable, as they were finished in a rush. But we knew you couldn’t wait longer.’’

‘’Good call,’’ Aris said, approvingly, only now noticing that the sailors bustling around deck weren’t much older than him.

‘’It’s good to see you again, my lord,’’ the Captain smiled finally.

Aris grinned at her, ‘’they will write songs about Captain Eyrie the Immortal, just wait and see,’’ he turned towards the Moriyan ship that he had just escaped from, which was sinking slowly, and on fire in a few places, ‘’now. Let’s finish this.’’

*~*~*

The naphtha created rainbow like puddles on the sea. They were pretty, but Heba wasn’t one for pretty things. It was a risk, she knew. They were using their entire supply, and without it the fire cannonballs, the only thing that had worked against the Moriyan fleet, were useless. But the soldiers were desperate and reckless after months of battle, and they were going to try it. Half a dozen boats had set out in the cover of the night, weaving in between the huge, monster-like Moriyan ships, boats heavy with naphtha barrels, which they emptied into the sea around the ships. Heba waited nervously next to Anna and Mela. Nydia was amongst those on the boats.

Heba only relaxed when finally the boats returned, one by one. She counted them twice, not wishing any of hers to perish in the sudden attack. Finally, she raised her flaming torch, and the other Queens did so, also, a silent farewell to the enemy. Then they tossed the torches in a wide arc, till they hit the sea.

As if by the touch of a wand, fire spread, roaring, in seconds. Heba had prayed to Seabright, the god of Oceans, and her prayers had been answered – the waves had spread the naphtha around, and now it devoured ships as far as the eye could see, climbing up like hungry snakes to the masts. The soldiers that jumped from them, trying to save their lives, jumped straight into the waiting mouths of the fire. It was a cruel way to die, and many of the soldiers aboard were not cruel, but Heba was hardened by the cold of Aldhard, and old, and she knew there was no place for her in the garden of the gods.

*~*~*

It changed everything – now that they had Eyrie, and ships, they stopped the attack from the waterfront completely. Except now they still had the foot soldiers to worry about, and those had grown impatient.

They had set fire to the forest.

‘’Leave! Leave everything!’’ Kaen roared as the army tried to pack up tents and gear. They didn’t have enough time – the fire was spreading incredibly quickly, and if they didn’t get out of the densely packed forest, they were done for. But where to run? Backwards was the cliffs edge and death, forwards was the enemy army. But at least you could fight armies with swords, ‘’out of the forest! That’s an order!’’

‘’You heard the prince!’’ Aurea yelled, ‘’get moving!’’

Kaen found Aris, grabbed him by the collar so he would stop trying to salvage weapons, and pulled him through the forest. They were followed by hundreds of soldiers, all running from the inferno that was spreading too quickly for Kaen’s liking, ‘’as soon as you enter the clearing – fight!’’ he yelled at his soldiers and they raised a Battlecry that their kin at Queensport and Naha could probably hear. Too quickly they ran straight into the waiting arms of the Moriyan soldiers.

And, gods, they were overpowered quickly.

Scared by the fire, exhausted, confused and lost, the Kai soldiers were slaughtered at an alarming rate. Nonetheless they fought to the best of their ability – as did Aris and Kaen. Kaen only had a second to acknowledge how quickly Aris had learned to use twin blades, as enemies were upon him. He slashed and parries and received blows, but he could only take on so many soldiers at once, and there seemed to be four Moriyans for every Kai. Even so, when _Charybdis_ was knocked out of his hand, and he was grabbed by three soldiers, Kaen fought with all his strength. It couldn’t end here – he had a beautiful, stubborn husband waiting for him, and a child. And yet no matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t get out of the soldier’s grip. He was just thankful Aris was nowhere to be seen.

As soon as they noticed their commander being shoved to his knees, the closest soldiers gave up. In minutes, the whole battlefield fell silent, still ringing from the clink of steel on steel. His soldiers stared in disbelief at him, held down on his knees by the Moriyan men. That was the last straw – how could they fight without their leader? Kaen prayed Aris was somewhere close, and instead of rushing to his help like an imbecile, he would lead their people to victory that seemed so distant. Kaen felt the cold brush of steel on his neck, as one of the Moriyan raised a sword to…oh, gods, to cut his head off. Kaen wondered in a brief moment of panic if his head would roll away and they would never find it, so they’d have to bury him without. The thought seemed to funny to him he nearly started laughing, except for one thing.

Ilia.

Gods, he couldn’t just die here. Didn’t he promise to return to his husband? His child would come soon and Ilia would kill him himself if he wasn’t there. With a burst of strength, he fought his ways up, and his soldiers seemed to stand straighter. But then he was shoved down and the blade came swishing through the air.

*~*~*

Captain Eyrie was immortal – that was what Johan thought as, with restored hope, he hacked through Moriyan soldiers. The navy had come like a fresh gust of winter wind, peeling the chill away from his bones, where it had wrapped around. They had been fighting for months, but it had only taken a day to get rid of the supply ship with the help of the royal navy sent by Eyrie. It had been so obvious that Johan was a little embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of it first. When Gal arrived, speeding through the message that they had to destroy the ship, Johan’s head had been full of information and ideas. But it had taken only a few hours for the navy to lay waste to that ship hidden in the mist.

 _Gordain_ clashed with Moriyan steel over and over again. It was dull now, from all the fighting. Johan’s lips were chapped, his hair grown out longer, shaggy, his face covered in stubble, but he could still fight. Especially now that there was hope, that he was so close to seeing Serafin and his baby. Cel would be crawling by now…

Suddenly the soldier in front of him dropped her sword and gazed up with large, wondrous eyes. Johan’s own sword froze inches from her neck. It could be a trick, but…he glanced over his shoulder at what the soldier was looking at.

And gasped.

Someone had shot a smoke signal in the air from the remaining Moriyan ships and the battlefield, filled with thousands of men and women, fell utterly silent as the colourful green streak shot through the sky, into the blinding, icy winter sun. Around the kingdoms, a green smoke signal meant one thing. Johan wasn’t surprised – the Moriyans must have suffered losses in Blackhaven and Naha, and now with the arrival of the navy…plus, Rehan wasn’t an ambassador for nothing…

Truce.

Moriya was calling for truce.

As if by a click of fingers, soldiers came back to life. Some dropped their swords, stunned. Others fell to their knees, and cried. Prayers of thanks were raised to the gods in Kai and Moriyan. Soldiers that had been fighting moments before fell upon each other in embraces – the months of the siege were finally over.

And it only took a minute before the smoke signals for peace shot into the air from the other ports.

*~*~*

Kaen nearly fell over as a massive sword, tipped with a skull, flew through the air and stopped the blade inches from his head. He watched the blades, locked on each other inches from his face, shake in a struggle before finally the skull tipped one won and swished the other into the air. A second later Kaen’s would-be executor fell flat on his face, dead. The prince gazed up at the King of Bandits, who was staring down at him, hair gleaming in the wintery sun. Kaen was so stunned that when Bane reached down, he clasped his hand and let the bandit pull him to his feet. He managed a nod of thanks, still trying to comprehend what had happened – his life was saved by a _bandit_. And the other bandits, his brothers and sisters, fell upon the Moriyan army like a pack of wolves. There weren’t that many of them – a couple hundred, maybe. But they were savage and wild and unpredictable and they scared the opposition.

Aris noticed Bane and they ran to each other – but they did not embrace. Instead, Bane screamed ‘duck!’ and Aris, as fluidly as water, dipped his head so Bane could cleave his sword straight through the face of a soldier trying to stab Aris in the back. As soon as Aris came back up, they pressed their backs together, and fought anyone who came at them with deadly precision. Aris was bloody and dirty and yet he was grinning. Kaen watched in awe as the two fought like one person, perfectly synchronised, knowing each other’s movement in and out.

And he realised that Aris found someone for who he would abandon his title and family, and watching them, he didn’t blame him.

 _So this is what it means to be mates_ , he thought absentmindedly.

Shaking his head clear of shock and the pine-smelling smoke that wafted from the burnt forest, Kaen raised his sword. And stopped, letting it hover above his head. Because there was a green streak in the air, and people were noticing it, too.

‘’Truce!’’ someone called in Kai.

‘’ _Muhadathat_!’’ someone else screamed in Moriyan.

Kaen let his sword fall against his side because gods, he was tired of fighting. And when someone brought him a canon he did not hesitate to raise it in the sky and release a second green streak into the sky for all of Kainan to see. It was echoed by one from Naha.

The war was over.

As soon as the streak was in the sky, he dumped the canon on the first soldier he could find and ran through the burnt, slightly smouldering forest to the ocean’s edge, and found Captain Eyrie, cheering with the others. He grabbed her by the shoulders, ‘’get me to Queensbane,’’ he said, out of breath, ‘’now.’’

*~*~*

Aris ran to Bane and stopped inches from him, ‘’you came,’’ he choked out.

Bane took his face in his hands. He kissed his brow, even though Aris’ face was sooty and dirty and bloody, ‘’I wouldn’t leave you. I shouldn’t have, in the first place.’’

‘’You changed everything,’’ Aris breathed, finally falling against him, letting bane envelop him in his arms, breathing in the scent of sweat and _Bane_ , ‘’you saved my brother…’’

‘’I’ve never seen you fight like that,’’ Bane grinned against his hair, ‘’gods, I missed you, Aris. I felt like I was falling apart. And when I told them that we were going to help win this war, I didn’t even have to say it twice.’’

Aris pulled away to look at him, take in his face, the random scars that littered his face and body, that he would have to tell him all about. And he promised himself that when they got home, he would kiss each and every one of them. Aris showed him his forearm, where the cloth was slashed. A cut he had gotten weeks ago had scarred, all the way from the dip in his forearm to his wrist in a long, thin white gash, ‘’look,’’ he said proudly, ‘’my first scar.’’

And Bane laughed, with relief and joy, and brought his arm up to his lips to kiss along it, ‘’your first scar,’’ he echoed, kissing his wrist and turning to face him.

He was surprised when Aris slipped his hands around his face and brought him close. He said the words Bane had been craving to hear with such conviction and certainty that Bane was happy for every second he had waited, ‘’I love you.’’

‘’I love you, too,’’ Bane’s voice was but a breath against Aris’ lips, and then they were kissing in the middle of the battlefield.

*~*~*

‘’My lord, please, _please_ …’’

‘’Roz, no,’’ Ilia grabbed Rozhin’s wrists and held her in place. He couldn’t stand; he was in too much pain for that. But he held her in place and she didn’t fight him, ‘’please, Roz. You’re kind. You’re so kind. Please, don’t tell them.’’

Rozhin’s eyes were filled with tears, ‘’but you’re in pain.’’

Ilia’s breathing was laboured, ‘’it…doesn’t…matter…’’

‘’You’ll die,’’ Rozhin sobbed out.

Ilia cried out, one hand flying to his enormous stomach. His child was trying to come into this world, but he wasn’t ready, he wasn’t ready…Kaen wasn’t here… Kaen, his husband, who had turned twenty five days ago, and he hadn’t been here to celebrate…

‘’Just wait till he comes,’’ Ilia whispered.

‘’He’s at war,’’ Rozhin pleaded, ‘’he won’t be back for months. We have no way of alerting him that you have begun-‘’

‘’Just wait,’’ Ilia choked out, ‘’please… he will come.’’

‘’I’m sorry, Ilia. I won’t let you die,’’ and then she was gone and Ilia slumped onto the floor, cradling his child, willing it to sit still. He vowed that he would not give birth till Kaen returned. And if he did not return from this wretched war, then he would die waiting for him. Because he couldn’t live without his prince. So when the physicians came, when Finn came, with Rozhin and they pulled him into the birthing chamber Finn had once occupied, which had been scrubbed clean, Ilia was not afraid, because he had resolved himself to waiting. Even as the painful spasm shook his body, he clamped his mouth shut and refused to take the potion.

The physicians spread their hands helplessly, ‘’the child is ready, but positioned wrong. We cannot cut it out. Please, prince, ask it to move.’’

But Ilia didn’t. He stroked his stomach, even though the pain of the child wiggling around.

_Good. Stay where you are._

*~*~*

Mihai inhaled, glad to be alive. The window was open even though it was cold. Mihai didn’t feel this cold, as he was bundled up in many, many furs, propped against many blankets. Shay was wrapped up with him, and their child. Ever since Mihai had given birth, he’d dropped the duties of the country on his councillors and begun spending every second with his family. Mihai knew it wouldn’t last forever, so he cherished those moments. Shay had his arm securely around Mihai’s now-again-tiny waist, the other stroking the soft wisps of hair on the head of the child in Mihai’s arms.

It was a girl, and an Omega. Her hair was pure silver, pale and beautiful like fresh snow, identical to Mihai’s. She was pale like him, too, but her eyes were almond shaped and dark, like Shay’s. She had his straight, majestic nose and high cheekbones. She would be a beauty. She was Mihai’s and Shay’s dream child.

She was Ceawlin, future Empress of Asakura.


	32. The Coward in The Palace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FEAR NOT MY DUDES WE HAVE ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zef - cute beautiful handsome baby boy - CBHBB, that sounds like some British TV channel xD Ayyy, I'm glad I pleased the fanbase ;) DW, you & Alna_King will recieve what you need ;p and don't worry, StellaCruz, your angst will come sooner than you expect ;) IDK where SeamoreRed is but I HOPE YOU'RE NOT DEAD B!
> 
> Either way, thank you for all your support so far, and your comments - especially you, xiennary123. The final chapter is coming soon, so hold tight!!!

‘’Kaen!’’ Rozhin may not have seen her cousin for months, but when she ran to him, it was not to embrace. Kaen was running, too, and they met in the middle of the hall leading from the front doors to the castle.

‘’Ilia?’’ Kaen sounded panicked and desperate.

Rozhin pointed, ‘’his birthing begun three days ago, but he’s refused to start without you and now-‘’

Kaen ran past her, not even listening to the end of her sentence. He ran towards Serafin’s birthing chamber, which now belonged to Ilia and when he burst into the chamber, still in his dirty clothes from a week worth of journey on Captain Eyrie’s ship, he saw a view that broke his heart.

Ilia was curled on the bed, his whole body moving with his laboured breaths. His arms were wrapped around his stomach, which was impossibly huge. He was shirtless, and his stomach had bruised in the places where the baby had kicked, trying to escape the confines. The physicians took turns wiping his sweat, but he would not uncurl himself. As Kaen stood frozen in the doors, a physician rushed to him, ‘’my lord,’’ he looked as panicked as Kaen felt, ‘’he has not consented for us to take the baby out. Not until you came. Please, make him consent; we must start immediately if either of them is to survive.’’

Kaen snapped out of it in a second and rushed to Ilia’s bedside. When Ilia opened his beautiful, golden eyes and saw his husband, his eyes filled with tears, ‘’Kaen…’’ he sobbed, ‘’you’re okay…’’

‘’Of course,’’ Kaen pressed his forehead to Ilia’s sweaty one, ‘’I’m sorry I’m late,’’ he brought Ilia’s hand to his chest and cradled it in between his own, ‘’are you ready now?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Ilia whispered breathlessly. Kaen tilted him so he was lying down properly and the physicians, relieved, grabbed their tools. But no one came forward with the potion.

‘’Wait,’’ Kaen’s panic returned, ‘’put him to sleep-‘’

‘’It’s too late for that, my lord,’’ one of the physicians said apologetically, wiping a freshly sterilised blade against a clean cloth, ‘’He will need to be awake. I fear that if he falls asleep, his strength will fail him. We have sent for pain relief medicine, but it is not here yet, and we must begin…’’

Kaen turned to Ilia, aghast, but his husband just smiled at him weakly, ‘’its okay. Now that you’re here…it’s all okay…’’ he whispered and cringed at the pain of his stomach.

Kaen nodded at the physicians and cradled Ilia’s face with his hands, not letting him see what was going on with his lower body. He kissed his forehead, taking a deep breath, but nothing could have prepared him for the agonising scream that ripped free from Ilia’s lips when the physicians cut into him. The scream turned into a body-wracking sob. Ilia’s brown fingers turned white; he gripped Kaen’s shirt tightly in his fist. Kaen whispered in his ear that everything was okay, he stroked his face and hair and kissed him, but he could do nothing about the pain that literally ripped open his body. Ilia was shaking badly, his face ashy, ‘’just a little longer…’’ Kaen felt like he might start sobbing himself. Seeing Ilia like this shattered his heart, because he could do nothing. He had just returned from war but this was so, so much worse.

Rozhin burst into the room like a mad woman, pale blonde hair dishevelled as she flung herself next to Kaen and opened a vial of clear liquid. She poured the content down Ilia’s throat and the Moriyan prince choked. Gradually, not quickly enough, Ilia regained his colour but he still didn’t look so well. When the medicine finally begun working properly, Ilia reached for Kaen’s hand, desperate, ‘’Kaen…I can’t feel anything…am I dying?’’

Kaen laughed, relieved, ‘’gods, no. It’s just the medicine,’’ he cupped his cheek against his hand and brought their faces close together, ‘’you’re going to be okay now. Just hold on a little longer.’’

Ilia sniffed, ‘’yes.’’

Suddenly there was a wail and Ilia’s eyes filled with tears again, as his child was withdrawn from him. He heard the cries, but could not look, only stare into Kaen’s eyes. Kaen felt like he had never been happy before, till this moment. As the child screeched, Rozhin laughed and then started crying, falling to the floor and pressing her forehead to the floor, muttering prayers of thanks to the goddess Thalia. Kaen heard the splash of water as his child was bathed – it fell silent. The wail was against picked up a minute later, and Ilia cried silently against Kaen shoulder as he was stitched up. Finally, two physicians came forward to prop Ilia up gently, ‘’you shouldn’t move much, my lord.’’ They said. They, too, were sweaty and tired, but relieved and full of fondness for Ilia, who was now not a child, but a father.

A third physician stepped forward and Kaen sat up expectantly, one hand holding Ilia’s dark fingers, as the man brought them their child, ‘’a healthy beta boy,’’ he said, placing the bundle in Ilia’s arms. Ilia’s curls, which had grown longer since Kaen was gone, were matted with sweat, his skin still ashy and his eyes outlines with dark circles, but when he looked at his son for the first time, his whole face lit up. As if the child was made of mist, Kaen gently touched its cheek, wet from tears.

‘’He’s beautiful,’’ Ilia choked out.

The child’s skin was lighter than Ilia’s and darker than Kaen’s, a smooth, light brown. The few strands of hair sticking up from his forehead were dark brown and his eyes were the same dark, molten gold as Ilia’s, ‘’Aethelfrith…’’ Kaen breathed, but before he could say anything more, the physician stepped forward again, cradling something else in his arms. Something that wailed softly.

‘’And a daughter, my lord! A healthy, beta daughter!’’

 ‘’Twins!’’ an older, plump physician woman exclaimed, swiping her hand in a half-circle in front of her face – a sign of thanks to the gods.

‘’You have been blessed!’’ another physician cried out. Rozhin sobbed louder and fell to the floor again, forehead against the floorboards.

Stunned, Kaen extended his hands. Doubtlessly it was his daughter – she was identical to her twin brother, and for now, nothing told them apart. Ilia looked between Aethelfrith and his twin, ‘’a son…and a daughter…’’ he breathed in disbelief.

And Kaen exploded in laughter that made his daughter open her golden eyes and stare curiously up at her father. Kaen pulled Ilia close and kissed him hard, ‘’gods, you’re amazing,’’ he breathed, ‘’you’re amazing, you know that? I love you so goddamn much.’’

Ilia managed a weak grin, still shocked and tired, ‘’I guess we name her Adelais then?’’ they turned to their two children, ‘’Frith and Adela.’’

*~*~*

The war was worth it – if only so that Johan could see Serafin, healthy and safe, smile up at him radiantly from the carpet, ‘’I had a feeling you would return today,’’ he whispered, as soft as fresh snow.

Johan looked between his beloved husband and Cel, now crawling across the floor towards him, falling every few seconds, with tears in his eyes. When his son reached his foot and begun trying to grab the laces of his boot to suck on, Johan whipped him up. He was plump and pink and beautiful. They stared at each other for a moment, before Celestine tested the harsh stubble on his father’s chin with his soft hand. Deciding that he didn’t like it after all, he settled for leaning forward to suck on the tip of Johan’s nose. Johan grinned, ‘’hello, Cel. I missed you.’’ He carried his son to Serafin, whom he swept upwards as well. Finn hugged him tightly and when Johan enveloped his family in a hug, he knew he would never let them go again, ‘’I missed you as well, Finn.’’

*~*~*

The procession for the dead was long, and it only included the higher members of the army. There had been countless soldiers crushed to death by boulders, burned in the fire at the forest, drowned and stabbed and mutilated, unaccounted for, buried in unmarked mass graves, even those from Asakura, who would never against see their homeland. Johan had a memorial raised for them in the temples, so that offerings could be made to the gods for those poor soldiers, so that Altessa the Grim Reaper of the Gods would care for their souls. But the procession for the higher ranked was harder, because Johan and Kaen had know these personally. Aris and Bane had retreated to the safety of their mountains to bury their own dead. Amongst those bodies carried to the temples was that of General Aurea, who had fought to the end. Now that his own nephew and niece were twins, Johan could only imagine the grief that General Loic felt, looking at his twin sister’s body for the last time.

Serafin took Johan’s hand, like he always did when Johan couldn’t cope with something. Finn wore all black; including gloves and even little Cel had a tiny, black shirt on. He was sleeping right through the funeral. After, when they returned to the palace to continue mourning, they had to face another loss. They found Rozhin in the throne room, a single trunk packed and set next to her ankle. She wore a long, black mourning dress and her white gold hair had been snipped short, just below her ears. Johan stopped a few paces from her, Finn peering over his shoulder with Cel in his arms. Rozhin smiled sadly, ‘’I…am going to Santa Sierra. I have written to the priestesses and they will gladly accept me. As one of their sisters.’’

Johan couldn’t even bring himself to look surprised. Roz was one of the most devoted people he knew, and she would do anything to escape her evil mother’s clutches. But court life was not for her. War was not for her. In the temples, praying all day for the safety of the dead, she could feel like she was helping in some measure and amongst the other silent, contemplative priestesses she would be right at home. The king opened his arms for his cousin; at least she had found her place in the world.

Rozhin ran to him and let him envelop her in a tight hug. She kissed Serafin and picked up little Celestin, holding him in the air in front of her face, smiling gently, ‘’maybe I will see you again, someday, little one,’’ she bumped his nose with hers, ‘’then you will be all grown up, and ready to be King.’’ Tears gathered in her eyes and she quickly handed the baby back to Finn. She curtsied lightly – the last curtsy of her life, ‘’thank you for your kindness, dear cousin. I shan’t forget it. I will pray for you all,’’ and then she ran from the room, trunk in hand, before she burst into tears. As soon as she was gone Celestine turned his head, searching for her, and then begun crying.

*~*~*

Aris held his breath. The whole room seemed to grow silent. He saw, out of the corner of his eyes, Roshni hold May’s hand nervously. She had the other arm around Merin, who was watching with his mouth wide open. Ryane was tapping her fingers against her knees, nervous. But Bane was confident and calm and smiling, as he stepped forward and reached around Aris’ neck. Carefully he tied the leather chain in a secure knot at the back of Aris’ neck and when he withdrew his hands, he touched the three beads at the end of the chain, grinning. Then, he took Aris’ hand and turned him to face the bandits gathered in front of the caves. He met Roshni’s eye and she grinned at him. And then Bane laced their hands together and raised them in the air victoriously as the bandits exploded with cheers, ‘’one of us! One of us! One of us!’’ they chanted, and then the chant turned to Aris and they swarmed him, clapping him on the back and hugging him. Merin latched himself onto his leg and laughed. Aris looked around at the bandits and finally felt like he could call them family.

*~*~*

‘’Shit. Bane. No. I changed my mind.’’

‘’Get on the blanket, Aris.’’

‘’No. Hell no.’’

Bane raised an eyebrow and grinned, flinging his arms wide to encompass the mountain, and the early spring night, ‘’where are you going to run to?’’

Aris glanced behind him, at the sheer drop back down into the caves, and then around the first plate on the long climb to the peak of the Moher mountains and realised his mate had a point, ‘’this was a bad idea. Can’t we do it in the summer? It’s cold!’’

‘’No. I want you now. And I want you here,’’ Bane took Aris’ wrist and dragged him away from the ledge, tossing him onto the blanket and single pillow he’d laid out onto the plate as gently as he could, crawling on top of him, ‘’doesn’t this excite you?’’

‘’Oh, yeah, totally. I’m about to have a heart attack!’’ Aris yelled, his voice whipped away by the wind. Bane chuckled and kissed him. Sure, they were outside, and it was cold and windy, but what the hell? They were bandits and bandits lived on the wild side, one foot already in hell. Bane took hold of the strings tying his coat against his body, but Aris grabbed his wrists, ‘’at least don’t undress me!’’

‘’I want to see you,’’ Bane complained against his ear.

‘’Well, I don’t want to freeze to death,’’ Aris’ words had as much bite as the cold wind, but Bane laughed again, and the sound warmed Aris’ body. He brought Bane’s face close to his and ground his hips against Bane’s, ‘’just do it like that,’’ he added softly, knowing full well that Bane was weak for the rare softness of his voice and touches.

Bane kissed him once more, and pulled down his pants to his knees. The cold wind bit at his skin, and he shivered, but was immediately enveloped in warmth when Bane took himself out of the confines of his undergarments and inserted his erection into Aris. They made love almost every night and although Aris was used to the stretch and feel of Bane, managing to take him slowly with nothing more than a pinprick of pain, it still felt insanely good. Maybe it was because they were mates, or maybe it was just because Aris loved Bane so much. As soon as Bane started moving, Aris forgot all about the fact that they were hundreds of feet above ground, that the wind was cold and he was laying on an uncomfortable rock. He hooked his arms around Bane’s neck and moaned, the sound whipped away by the wind. Bane moved his cold hand under Aris’ coat and the Omega jumped at the initial cold touch.

Bane splayed his hand against his flesh and thrust harder. His skin warmed, suddenly, and as Aris traces his cold hands under his collar, Bane hissed at the change in temperature. As they reached their climax, the cold was forgotten altogether. Bane held Aris tightly against him; the Omega curled in his arms and moaned helplessly, legs tightening around his hips, hands in his hair. Minutes after the final wave of pleasure left their bodies, Bane set Aris gently down on the blanket and rolled off, holding his hand, his other splayed out and over the edge of the plate, breathing hard, ‘’imagine if this plate fell right now from all the movement,’’ he said suddenly, conversationally, trying to get his breathing under control.

Aris groaned, ‘’we’re going back. Now.’’ But he didn’t move. His insides ached, the heat of Bane’s seed rushing through him; he would have to take the potion as soon as they got back down. His thighs felt bruised in all the good ways, and he was still warm. Weakly, he pulled up his pants but that was all he had the energy for.

‘’We probably should have planned on how we would get down, seeing how exhausted we are,’’ Bane laughed.

‘’I really hate you sometimes,’’ Aris said, but he squeezed his hand, and Bane knew he was lying.

*~*~*

How could he have ever trusted Shay?

That’s right – he couldn’t.

Mihai had been a naïve little boy. But as the spring came to a close, that boy died and a man, strong and cold when he needed to be, marched into Shay’s office. Shay hadn’t changed much – the same dark eyes lifted from the paper greeted him; he tucked the same long, dark hair behind his ear. But, somehow, the gentle smile Shay offered couldn’t charm Mihai back into submission, ‘’you had courtesans.’’ He said coldly.

The smile disappeared in a flash, ‘’…who told you?’’

Mihai snorted, ‘’you thought I wouldn’t notice? I’m not an idiot, Shay.’’ He composed himself before he started yelling, ‘’how many?’’

Shay got up, extending his arms, placating, ‘’only one, I swear-‘’

‘’Don’t lie to me.’’

‘’Maybe two, or three, but really-‘’

‘’Don’t _lie_ to me.’’

Shay dropped his hands and looked at Mihai helplessly; Mihai knew that look – he was about to get blamed for all of Shay’s mistake, ‘’I’ve lost count. Is that what you want to hear? I wasn’t even counting in the first place, honestly. I am an Emperor, Mihai. I am under so much pressure that I need release. You were pregnant, and in these past months you don’t let me touch you-‘’

‘’Maybe if you stopped treating me like a pretty accessory to keep at your side, you’d be under less pressure, and your workload would be smaller,’’ Mihai snapped, ‘’and that is so typical of you – blaming me and my body’s needs instead of yours. Face it, Shay, I gave you everything – I have you every inch. I bore you a daughter, carried her around for months and nearly died giving birth to your heir. They _cut me open_ so you could have a child. And after, when they said that I shouldn’t be touched for a few months, just so my body could settle, just so that my life wouldn’t be in danger anymore, you said it was _fine_. Well, I’m sorry, Shay – I’m sorry I need time to regenerate and I’m sorry you can’t keep your dick in your pants.’’

Shay set his jaw, ‘’you’re being insolent.’’

‘’I’m being _truthful_ , and maybe you should be, too.’’ Mihai wanted to be angry, but instead he was only disappointed, ‘’do you even love me?’’

‘’I do,’’ Shay said with conviction, but his face didn’t soften, ‘’but no matter what I do, you never believe me.’’

‘’You have a funny way of declaring your love – leaving a trail of whores for me to find.’’

‘’I didn’t-‘’ Shay sighed, ‘’there’s nothing I can do about it. You have to accept it; it’s part of me. All Emperors have Harems, and I have been denied one; I find release in other ways.’’

‘’Don’t talk to me about what has been denied to you,’’ Mihai’s voice was deadly quiet, ‘’you have no idea what I gave up for you, no idea what it is like to be the third prince, and an Omega at that. I have never been taught how to defend myself, I was made to study dance and music and poetry while my siblings learnt history and combat. If I don’t have you, I have nothing – no army, no home, only Ceawlin.’’

Shay extended his hand towards Mihai, ‘’you need to accept me, with all my fault,’’ he repeated.

But Mihai didn’t take his hand, ‘’what if I can’t?’’ he asked, voice breaking, ‘’what if I don’t want to? What if, even if I can’t protect myself and have nowhere to go, I don’t want to pretend to love a man who can’t be faithful to me.’’

Shay looked like he had been slapped. He dropped his hand, ‘’in that case…maybe you should spend some time away from court.’’ He took a deep breath, like it pained him to say it, ‘’I have a beautiful manse in Hailin, and-‘’

Mihai’s eyes widened, ‘’you’re…sending me away?’’

‘’It is for the best. I need some space,’’ Shay said, expecting Mihai to understand, but instead he stared at Shay…like he had just betrayed him. And it made Shay angry because it made him feel guilty, and he didn’t have time for that, ‘’if only you had let me touch you-!’’

‘’Don’t blame this on me!’’ Mihai yelled, forcing his tears back. He would not cry. He would not cry for Shay anymore, ‘’you’re sending me away because I refuse to be treated like a whore! Because sometimes I take care of my own health before I take care of your needs, and you can’t accept that because you are a spoilt, sheltered _child_!’’ Mihai stood straighter, taking a step back, ‘’and you know what? You can sleep with every woman in this wretched City of Roses, but none of them will love you, because they see you for what you truly are – a coward in pretty clothes, with a fortune and a title, but a coward _nonetheless_!’’ He shoved open the doors, ‘’you’re right; we need some space. Goodbye, my lord.’’

Shay snapped out of it, ‘’Mihai, wait, I didn’t mean-‘’

But Mihai had already snapped the doors shut, leaving Shay alone in the silent room echoing with Mihai’s accusations. And, like the coward he was, Shay stayed in that room and did not fight to earn Mihai’s love back. And Mihai arranged his departure to Hailin by himself and the next morning, with the carriage heaped with trunks and packages, Mihai left the palace, with it’s pathetic Emperor and the silent guards and an empty Harem behind him, carrying only his beautiful, silver haired daughter with him. He didn’t know when he would come back; he didn’t know when Shay would change…if he would change.

For now, he would concentrate on his child. He would leave the capital behind.

*~*~*

_Dear Aris,_

_I write to you overjoyed. Without any complications, the Crown Princess of Sahr, Princess Dagmaer Morgade, has been born. I hope that you will be the godfather of my daughter._

_I have nicknamed her Dagny – what do you think?_

_Your always loving sister, and now mother to your niece, Elentina Alima Hyndestane, Queen of Sahr_


	33. The Start of a New Dynasty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE SIX YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER   
> Also, be sure to check out the end note ;)

Merin Santi stretched his arms high into the bright summer sky – although here, it did not feel like summer. Atop the Moher mountain, it was cold and snowy and Merin was bundled up tight in furs; but not tight enough so that he couldn’t scream. He yelled as loudly as he could, his throat already raw from the cold, and the yell turned into a laugh that was carried out into Kainan. He was on top of the world; literally. Slowly, Merin brought his arms down and just grinned out at the labyrinth of blue rivers and green forests and cities dotted so, so far, all the way to the horizon. His parents had been right; there was nothing quite like leaving the bandit caves in the middle of summer just to climb up here, and be in winter – it was like the fortress of the goddess Soyala herself.

But Merin wasn’t one for dwindling – with small, pale, skilled hands, he produced a length of rope from his satchel, tying it to the one around his waist securely, so that he produced an infinitely long line that would get him home. It didn’t take him long, kicking at the snow on the edge of the mountain, to find the metal hook, buried deep in the ice. There was a short, frozen, frayed remain of a rope tied to it, and multiple knots of all the roped the bandits had tied over the centuries. As instructed, Merin took out his dagger – it had once belonged to Aris, his father, and had been a present for his tenth birthday. Merin sawed through the remains of frozen rope with vigour, till only the knot remained, and tied his own rope around the nook, tightly, testing his weight on it.

He turned towards the edge. It was a sheer drop into nothingness, a one way trip towards hell; but bandits defied it, since the beginning of time. Merin’s heart raced – and now it was his turn. He gripped the leather necklace around his neck, with the three beads that marked him as one of the bandits, for courage and then dropped it, taking multiple steps back. He glanced around the frozen plains of the mountain once more and then grinned, and ran. He ran and ran till he jumped straight off the side of the mountain, and, yelling like a banshee, fell. He fell for a few exultant seconds before the rope snapped taunt and he was being brought back towards the flat side of the mountain, hard and rocky and unforgiving, sure to be crushed to death. Except his small body swiped right into a cave, neatly, as expected, and before the rope could drag him back out Bane, King of Bandits, slashed through it.

Merin fell flat on his ass on the cave floor and was right back on his feet again, ‘’I DID IT!’’ he yelled for the whole mountain to hear and charged for his dad. Aris caught him and lifted him up easily, even though he was already eleven and heavy.

‘’I knew you could do it!’’ Aris laughed, hugging him tightly.

‘’Liar. _I_ knew he could do it,’’ Bane tossed the rope over the side of the mountain and came over, grinning, brown hair whipped by the wind inside the cavern, ‘’you said ‘ _don’t_ _you dare let an eleven year old climb that mountain; he’ll die_ ’’’.

Aris set down Merin, scowling at his mate, ‘’I had a fair point!’’

‘’But he didn’t die, did he?’’ Bane raised an eyebrow and opened his arms for his protégé. Merin barrelled into him like a rock and their hug quickly turned into a wrestling match. Aris watched them fondly – Bane, a giant of a man, armed and grinning, and Merin, a skinny, pale eleven year old boy, red in the face with concentration, trying to unbalance his father.

Finally, Aris spoke, ‘’are we going to go downstairs, or are we going to stand here all day?’’ Merin released Bane; he was an easily excited child, but his attention spans didn’t last very long. Whooping, he ran for the stone steps leading deep into the mountain, to the bandit hide out. Aris and Bane took their time, with Bane resting his arm around Aris’ shoulders. Aris looked up at him, grinning, ‘’how long has it been since I made my first jump?’’

‘’Five years? Six?’’ Bane grinned at the memory, ‘’back when you hated my guts. And you didn’t _jump_ ; I pushed us off.’’

Aris ignored the last comment, nuzzling his cheek into Bane’s broad chest, ‘’for the record, I didn’t hate your guts back then. At that point, I just strongly disliked you.’’ He pushed away from Bane to follow their son downstairs, but Bane grabbed his wrist and pulled him back against him.

‘’For the record,’’ he breathed against his lips, ‘’I was in love with you from the moment I saw you.’’

‘’I know. Bastard,’’ Aris grinned again and kissed Bane, hard, on the lips. Then he danced away and followed Merin down the stone steps, a journey he had made countless times since he had become a real bandit, discarding his titles. Merin had waited for them at the bottom of the stairs and it was Bane who opened the doors to the dining cavern for Merin, who jumped out to cheers and whoops. May put her fist in the air, grinning – while everyone had been sceptical about skinny Merin making it, she had put her faith in him. Aris’ heart clenched – it was like with his first climb, and Merina being the only one who believed in him. Roshni, who had been gripping Ryane’s hand tightly, exhaled visibly when she saw Merin safe and sound. Six years after the Battle of the Mist she was still the gentlest soul Aris knew – contrary to her daughter. Little Cyra Wolfhart sprung from behind her mother and tackled Merin to the floor. Aris looked up at Bane, who was already gazing down at him.

Between the laughter and the cheers, no one heard the doors open till one of the bandits strolled forward, and extended a letter to Aris. The Omega frowned; usually whoever picked up mail left his letters on his bed. But the bandit looked grave, ‘’it’s urgent.’’ He said. The room fell silent.

Hesitant, and more than a little nervous, Aris took the letter and glanced down at the seal. It was the three breasted vulture of his house, so the letter could be from Kaen of Johan. Aris took the dagger that used to be his from Merin’s belt in one quick, smooth movement and slashed through the seal, pulling out the parchment of paper. It was a letter from Kaen, hastily written, and as Aris’ eyes scanned the words, he felt his world break apart, cleaved at his feet. His hands began shaking as he re-read the letter, not understanding, not believing…

Finally, a sob broke from his lips and he fell to the floor, unable to stand up any longer.

*~*~*

‘’It’s stupid. It doesn’t make sense.’’

‘’Celestine deserves it,’’ Johan approached Finn, who was sitting on the window-seat, like he had the moment he came to Kainan. He touched his pale cheek, ‘’the throne is yours by right, and therefore his.’’

Any other day, Serafin would cradle Johan’s hand against his cheek and give into his wishes; but not today, not when this was something he felt so strongly about. He smacked Johan’s hand away and the King looked hurt, ‘’I will not start a war on my uncle just so Cel can rule Salar and Kainan both,’’ he looked at his husband, apprehending, ‘’Cel doesn’t have a King’s mind, not like you. I fear this throne will be a burden to him; he does not need two thrones.’’

‘’But don’t you want to go home?’’ Johan pleaded.

‘’It doesn’t matter what I want!’’ Finn snapped, getting off the wind0w-seat, ‘’Kainan is my home,’’ his tone softened, but only for a second, ‘’and I’m tired of your pursuit of glory.’’

Johan took a step back, ‘’what?’’

‘’It’s _tiring_ , Johan,’’ Serafin said, his voice rising in volume, ‘’the Hyndestanes have ruled Kainan for as long as it has existed, and it is a strong Dynasty but it is such a _burden_. You want people to write songs about you, to remember you and your son, so you’re not King Johan who _did nothing_. But you’ve prolonged the Hyndestane bloodline and that is all that matters, so stop coming up with ideas to make yourself greater in the eyes of the gods. They’re _not listening_ , Johan!’’

‘’It’s not like that-‘’

‘’It is, Johan! You’re being so selfish, can’t you see that. You say you’re doing it for our son…but are you really?’’

Johan clenched his teeth and slammed Finn against the wall, ‘’everything I ever do is for you and him. So don’t you _dare_ tell me I’m doing this to meet my own ends!’’

‘’But it _feels_ like it!’’ Serafin cried, ‘’I’m tired of it, and I’m tired of hearing this all the time, and I don’t need you…’’

_Oh, gods. No. Please. Not this again._

‘’I don’t need you, I don’t need you, I don’t need you, I don’t need you, Idont needyou, Idontneedyou, Idontnee-‘’

The slap that hit Finn’s cheek reverberated across the room and stunned him into silence. The force of it had sent his head sideways, and now Serafin brought it back slowly, his fingers touching the red of his cheek gently, as if Johan had burned him. Finn seemed to choke on his words, ‘’you hit me…’’ he whispered.

‘’I needed to snap you out of it-‘’ Johan begun but Serafin was backing away, shaking his head, ‘’wait, Finn, please. I’m sorry, you’re right about everything, I-‘’ but Finn was already out of the door and speeding down the corridor.

Johan waited up for him, but Serafin did not return that evening. So Johan went to sleep by himself, in an empty bed, longing for his husband.

*~*~*

‘’Dagny, come on, time for morning prayers!’’

Elentina had never seen a child so eager to pray. Princess Dagmaer shot out of her room, dressed in a smart navy dress, that covered everything properly for her trip to the temples. Elentina was already waiting outside her room, her hand placed on Nav’s bicep. She smiled as Dagmaer stopped herself and curtsied clumsily, like her tutor taught her, ‘’good morning mama, good morning papa,’’ as soon as the formalities were done, the five year old sprung back up and ran to her mother, to grasp her hand. The three of them strolled down the corridors towards the courtyard where the carriages were waiting. It had been Elentina who set up a monthly tradition of the whole court going together to worship. The ladies and lords of the Sahrian court were getting into their carriages, smartly dressed.  A few wandered over to Elentina to kiss her cheek, to say hello to Nav and her daughter. Elentina smiled; she had made a good court for herself. None of the scheming, back stabbing, gossiping lot that had been at Kainan when she had been just a girl.

Nav lifted his step-daughter up into the carriage and extended a hand to his wife so she, too, could get in when a Hermes ran into her line of vision, bucking his feet so hard he left dust in his wake in an attempt not to fall into Elentina. He was young, maybe fifteen, like most Hermes’ tended to be, and Elentina caught him easily around the waist to prevent his fall. He bowed quickly, ‘’my apologies, your majesty,’’ he glanced up at her shyly; he was panting from running for so long, ‘’and my thanks.’’

‘’Bring this boy some water!’’ she called, knowing someone would hear her and bring the cup immediately.

The Hermes bowed again and extended a letter to her. Elentina took it, smiling at the triple breasted vulture seal; she herself still used it sometimes. But when she opened it, her smile disappeared. Instantly, she knew something was wrong; Kaen’s writing was scrawled and rushed and the message short. Elentina read it, heart pounding, and when she finished, her heart seemed to come to a stop. Shaking, she reached out; Nav found her immediately, steadying her, ‘’what is it, my lady?’’ he asked, concerned. The letter fluttered out of her hand and Elen brought a shaking hand to her mouth.

‘’Mama? Is everything alright?’’ Dagny asked, stepping out of the carriage onto the steps.

‘’No,’’ Elentina choked out, ‘’nothing is alright.’’

*~*~*

In the dead of the night, Johan was woken up, feeling someone was staring at him. There was a pleasant weight on his hips and when he opened his eyes, he wasn’t surprised to find the silhouette of Serafin, straddling his hips on the bed, his red hair illuminated by the moonlight falling in through the balcony windows. Johan smiled, ‘’Finn…’’ he breathed, relieved. Right until he saw the dark of Finn’s eyes, the unnatural blackness of it, the emptiness, and then the flash of a blade as Finn raised a kitchen knife, ‘’Finn, what-‘’ Johan made to sit up but he was shoved down with more strength than Finn could possibly posses.

A glimmer of light appeared in Serafin’s eyes as his voice broke through, ‘’make her stop, Johan, make her stop-‘’ he went rigid and his voice went impossibly cold, ‘’I warned you.’’

Johan’s eyes widened as the knife went down and embedded itself in his chest. Pain seared through him as the knife sank into his lungs. Suddenly it was hard to breathe and it _hurt_. He opened his mouth, to beg Finn to stop, but only dark blood drizzled out. Finn held the knife with both hands, trembling, and the god’s grip on him slackened for a moment as his eyes widened and filled with tears, ‘’no, Johan…forgive me…gods…’’ he pulled the knife out, trying to undo the damage but the god was once again upon him, and Johan’s whole body arched when Serafin’s knife embedded itself just below his ribs. A roar of pain ripped from him as Finn struggled to pull out the knife while the god tried to keep it in, and the knife slashes around, spilling his guts, ‘’stop! STOP!’’ Finn cried, loud enough to wake the whole castle, but the god took over his body once more, ‘’you shouldn’t have hit him,’’ he hissed in Johan’s face.

And it hurt, not only because the knife was ripping open his chest, but because it was Serafin doing it. And because Johan didn’t get a chance to apologise. The knife was ripped from his chest and again brought back down – now Johan felt nothing. He forced his hand to move; he couldn’t breathe, but he reached up, hand trembling as he brushed a finger against Finn’s cheek, ‘I…l-love…you…’’ he whispered, because Finn needed to know. It was as if he’d slapped him again and Serafin slid off him, shaking, the knife falling from his grip.

The room went silent.

Serafin stared at Johan – at Johan’s _corpse_ – at what he had done, ‘’oh…god…Johan…Johan…’’ he backed away, flinging open the balcony doors. He needed air, he needed…

‘’Daddy?’’

Finn whirled around. Celestine was standing in the doors, sleepy. Half a dozen guards burst into the room behind the six year old, alerted by the noise. In the dark, they took in Johan’s mutilated corpse and Serafin’s bloody hands in shock, but Celestine just rubbed his eyes, trying to expel the sleep. He looked at Finn, ‘’daddy, I had a nightmare…’’

‘’Yes…’’ Finn said with a hysterical smile, backing away from his son. He looked at Johan’s body one more time, ‘’yes, me too…’’

And then the Mad King turned around, took a leaping step onto the balcony and threw himself off into the unforgiving ground below, his god screeching in his head.

*~*~*

‘’Oh, gods…oh…’’ the letter fluttered out of Mihai’s hand.

Lin, who was sitting at the small table at the window, glanced up at him curiously, her silver hair shining. Mihai touched his protruding stomach; over the years, he had returned to court and left again, unable to deal with Shay’s unfaithfulness but loving him still, maybe not so strong. The product of this was the second child sired in his stomach. But now…now he needed his Emperor more than anything.

‘’Father, what is it?’’ Ceawlin put down her paintbrush and looked at Mihai expectantly. Being only five, her letters were sloppy and messy and incorrect, but her tutor believed it was good to train the hand from a young age. One day, the Crown Princess would be a marvellous calligrapher.

‘’Lin, stay here and study. I need to go to the capital; your tutor will care for you,’’ Mihai said weakly.

Lin’s black eyes darkened as she turned back to her letters. Even aged five, she had picked up Mihai’s distaste to Shay. Mihai’s hatred of his actions were trumped by the flickers of love he still held for the man, by the lust for him and by the few nights every few months that they spent sharing a bed, but Ceawlin had nothing for her other father but anger that he did not keep her at court, that he didn’t seem to care. But she never fought with Mihai.

Mihai did not take a horse; he boarded the first ship from Hailin to Roma and it took him three days to dock. For those three days, he did not leave his cabin, and cried non-stop. On the way from the port in Roma to the Imperial palace he cried, too, so that when he ran through the familiar gates, past the silent guards and silent corridors and silent rooms, and burst into Shay’s office, his eyes were red and puffy and there were fresh tears in them. Shay might have been a cowardly bastard, but he still loved Mihai, so he was on his feet in seconds, running to his husband, ‘’Mihai…Mihai, who hurt you…?’’

Mihai fell into his arms as easily as puzzle pieces fall together, his stomach between them, and he sobbed into Shay’s shoulder. Shay stroked his long silver hair, till Mihai managed to choke those words out, ‘’Serafin…and…my brother…Johan is dead…’’

*~*~*

Kaen was doing the one thing he never thought he would do – sitting on his brother’s throne. After drafting rushed letters to his siblings to notify them of the tragedy, he had hastily been crowned Regent until Celestine came of age. But, gods, he’d never wanted to be King…and already, there were so many matters to attend to, like Johan’s and Serafin’s funeral… the court had revolted against the idea of burying Finn and Johan together, but Kaen had been adamant in his decision. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Johan and Serafin had loved each other as strongly as Kaen loved Ilia. Parting them in death would have been vile and perverse, even in the face of a murder. Kaen gripped the armrests of the throne in his hands. He could almost feel phantom warmth of Johan’s fingers and had to remind himself that he was dead; that he would never tease him about anything again; that he would never make bad decisions again; that he would never grin at his favourite food being served on his birth day. And Serafin, too…he had been so kind. Who would have thought this would happen?

Wiping a stray tear, Kaen looked out into the throne room. Ilia and he had been living away from court, in their own manse; no scheming, assassins or plots, just he and Ilia and their beautiful, beautiful children. And now he was back here, and it was worse than ever. He couldn’t bear to look at Magnon, who had returned from Santa Sierra to be with her family during the grieving. She had not suspected she would have to wear black for husband and son in her lifetime. She took strength from Jhoka, who had returned to court months prior to begin tutoring the young Crown Prince.

The twins didn’t seem to understand what was going on, although they picked up on the somber atmosphere. They played quietly in the corner of the room with two painted horses they received for their sixth birthday a few months before from Aris. They were serious children; Adelais was shy and Frith was…well, like Kaen had been as a child. Four year old Theokleia, on the other hand, seemed to be oblivious to the mourning mood. She ran around the room, squealing and laughing, parading her horse in the air and Kaen didn’t have the heart to tell his daughter that now was not the time. Two year old Hoel was away from all of this, sleeping in his cot upstairs under the watchful eye of Jhoka.

Ilia came to him and sat on his lap, kissing his forehead, ‘’it’s going to be okay.’’

‘’I don’t want to be King.’’                                      

‘’Yes. I know,’’ Ilia wrapped his arms tightly around his neck, as if he could shield him from all the wrongs of this world, ‘’but Celestine is nearly seven. In eleven years, he will be an adult and he will take the throne.’’

‘’Eleven years is an awfully long time,’’ Kaen murmured. He and Ilia had only been together, what…seven? And it already felt like a life time. A wonderful, blessed lifetime.

‘’But we can do it.’’ Ilia tilted Kaen’s head up and kissed him, ‘’we can. We’ll get through this, together, like we always do.’’

Kaen nodded, and hugged Ilia tightly, trying not to think about how he would never see his brother again.

*~*~*  


Aethelfrith and Adelais didn’t know what to do – they were only six, after all. They didn’t think to ask Kleia – she was four, and a complete child. She couldn’t even curtsy yet, and Adelais could. But they had to do something about Celestine, who wore black mourning clothes and wouldn’t play. Frith liked to pretend he understood what the boy was feeling – but really, he didn’t. He was only six. Still, he wandered over and patted his ginger hair, ‘’it’s going to be okay, little carrot.’’

Cel looked at him with sad, blue eyes, ‘’you don’t know that. You’re only six.’’

‘’So are you.’’ Frith said with a gentle smile, chubby, brown cheeks stretching.

‘’Nearly seven,’’ Cel said it on default. It was always his comeback to Frith, who was a few months younger. But now it sounded hollow, ‘’I’m going to go for a walk.’’

Frith dropped his hand, ‘’we’re here for you,’’ he said, because he heard those words said to his father over the past few days, but, really, he didn’t know what it meant. He was only six.

Celestine wandered away. He didn’t even have the energy to kick at rocks, like he always did. He hadn’t cried yet, and his chest was all tight. When a week ago he saw his father disappear over the edge of the balcony, he couldn’t comprehend what had happened. And when they told him he would never see either of his parents again, he didn’t understand. He still waited for them to come, to pick him up and twirl him around, to kiss his forehead and give him snacks and let him into their bed at night when he had nightmares. But slowly the realisation was sinking in – they weren’t coming back.

Without really meaning to, Cel wandered down to the fighting ring next to the stables – he only noticed when he bumped into something warm and hard, donned in leather – Caomhán’s back. The boy turned and Celestine looked up at him. Cao was going to be Captain of the Guard someday; he would protect Cel; he was fourteen, nearly an adult, and he was big and strong and… ‘’Cao…’’ Celestine’s voice broke and he felt fat tears finally – _finally_ – roll down his cheeks, ‘’…my parents left me…’’

Caomhán, who was tall for his age, went on his knees and grabbed Celestine’s hands, ‘’they didn’t leave you, your majesty,’’ he said heatedly, ‘’they didn’t want to go. But they had to…’’ he squeezed his hands, ‘’…trust me, I know how it is. But they didn’t want to go. Believe me, they didn’t want to go.’’ His hands were warm and Cel held on to them, ‘’I’m sorry. I should have protected you better. I shouldn’t have let anything hurt you. I’ll do better next time. I swear to you, I’ll protect you.’’

Celestine smiled at him through his tears, ‘’I know. You always tell me.’’

*~*~*

‘’Sister? Are you quite alright? You have been praying all morning,’’ Sister Miri entered the temple and knelt by one of the priestesses carefully, taking her hand, ‘’if there is anything I can pray with you for…anything at all…’’

The priestess squeezed Miri’s hand, ‘’Yes. Please.’’ Rozhin said in a small voice, tears streaming down her cheeks, ‘’pray for the Kings, so that their souls may be safely delivered to Gordain.’’

*~*~*

She had been in water, and now she was not. Gods, there had been guards everywhere – it had been so long, and yet they still hunted her. How had she ended up drifting, half-conscious, on the ocean, on a plank, in the middle of a scorching summer? Oh, yes. She planned to get out of Kainan – and they had burned down her boat. But she wasn’t in the water anymore, was she? No, she was being lifted, and there were shouts. Water cascaded off her, and she felt that maybe, maybe there was still a place with her with Gordain and he was lifting her up. But, no. She was suddenly dumped onto a hard deck of a ship and the impact brought back her consciousness. She lifted herself to her knees, coughing. Her clothes were burned in a few places and her hands were still sooty.

‘’Name?’’ a demanding child’s voice rang in her ears and she looked up at a small girl, hands on hips, an oversized Captain’s hat on her head, red hair spilling out to just under her ears.

The people around laughed. She looked at their clothes – colourful, extravagant…and the ship, the black flag whipping in the summer wind…pirates. She almost laughed. From outcasts to outcasts to outcasts – that seemed to be her fate, ‘’you aren’t Captain yet, little Cassia.’’ The pirates told the girl, but she ignored them.

‘’Name,’’ Cassia demanded again.

To hell with it, she thought. Here, they couldn’t hurt her anymore. Here, she would live free and away from all those wretched places that had mauled her and spat her out. Away from the angry ghosts of her comrades. She lifted herself onto her knees and looked boldly into the pirate’s eyes…

‘’Elenia.’’

_*~fin~*_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so before anything HERE IS THE LINK TO THE SEQUEL, ALREADY UPDATES, ENJOY MY GS:  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/10897644/chapters/24224331
> 
> Here we go -   
> So, DYNASTY IS OVER I am sorry for all the pain and ish. The chapter before kind of gave closure to everyone, but this one opens it up, ready for the sequel.   
> I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has supported me through this, be it if you commented on every chapter without fail or if you simply read my work and thought it was alright. You guys honestly inspired me to write the sequel - I never thought I could get this many people liking my story!! In case you're wondering - YES there will be Baris in the sequel, although obvs as a side pairing. I hope y'all still read. Anyway, honestly, I love you all, you guys are amazing!!! 
> 
> A special thank you to SeamoreRed, StellaCruz, Alna_King & zef...I have no words. I love you guys. I love you so goddamn much. 
> 
> A curious inquiry - in case any of you were wondering...there was no God. Serafin was actually mentally ill, schizophrenia or something like that. 
> 
> Yeah, anyway, there we have it. The end of a Dynasty, the start of an Empire, if you are willing to continue reading.   
> And for now,   
> see ya!


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